Member State report / Art11 / 2020 / D11 / Cyprus / Mediterranean: Aegean-Levantine Sea
| Report type | Member State report to Commission |
| MSFD Article | Art. 11 Monitoring programmes (and Art. 17 updates) |
| Report due | 2020-10-15 |
| GES Descriptor | D11 Energy, incl. underwater noise |
| Member State | Cyprus |
| Region/subregion | Mediterranean: Aegean-Levantine Sea |
| Reported by | Department of Fisheries and Marine Research, Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environm |
| Report date | 2020-12-14 |
| Report access |
Descriptor |
D11 |
D11 |
|---|---|---|
Monitoring strategy description |
The Cypriot GES definition for being in good standing for energy including underwater noise is as follows:
• The high, low, and moderate impulsive sounds generated by anthropogenic activities in the marine environment do not have a negative impact on marine ecosystems to the extent of creating significant long-term adverse effects on populations and vulnerable groups, endangered species, or other key functional groups; and
• Continuous low frequency sounds do not pose a significant risk to marine life at the population level and to vulnerable groups, endangered species, or other key functional groups.
Cyprus has implemented the program code MALCY-D11 (sub program MALCY-D11-01) in the geographical area of MAL-CY-MS to record underwater noise data that assesses the intensity and frequency in high-risk areas. Though this program is listed as inactive and data has not been provided.
Cyprus is also a part of the quietMED2 consortium that evaluates the thresholds for underwater noise data collection. This program is scheduled to take place from January 2019 to January 2021 and will be focusing on the following priorities (QuietMed2, 2020):
• Support the D11 GES assessment in the Mediterranean region;
• Complete gaps in D11 monitoring data information and collection tools; and
• Coordinate measures within the Mediterranean region.
Each priority has several activities to complete throughout the life of the program.
The DFMR has implemented “Guidelines for an Offshore Environmental Baseline Survey for Oil and Gas Exploration Activities in Cyprus (DFMR, 2017)” to provide a current status of the environment prior to commencing activities in the lease area. Per these requirements, passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) are required to follow the international guidelines (UNEP/CMS/COP12/Doc.24.2.2 Marine Noise and ACCOBAMS-MOP6/2016/Doc30 Methodological Guide: Guidance on Underwater Noise Mitigation Measures) and have one PAM technician on board to monitor at night or during bad weather conditions.
The DFMR has proposed to use a glider to monitor underwater noise in the EEZ due to it being cost effective and the scope of application. The technical specifications of this proposal are as follows:
• Study the existing underwater noise data;
• Define the needs and coherence of a new study with existing data (e.g., from EIAs and cetaceans (whales and dolphins) surveys in the Cyprus EEZ; and
• Appropriate coverage areas i.e. should the study area be the whole EEZ or be in previo |
The Cypriot GES definition for being in good standing for energy including underwater noise is as follows:
• The high, low, and moderate impulsive sounds generated by anthropogenic activities in the marine environment do not have a negative impact on marine ecosystems to the extent of creating significant long-term adverse effects on populations and vulnerable groups, endangered species, or other key functional groups; and
• Continuous low frequency sounds do not pose a significant risk to marine life at the population level and to vulnerable groups, endangered species, or other key functional groups.
Cyprus has implemented the program code MALCY-D11 (sub program MALCY-D11-01) in the geographical area of MAL-CY-MS to record underwater noise data that assesses the intensity and frequency in high-risk areas. Though this program is listed as inactive and data has not been provided.
Cyprus is also a part of the quietMED2 consortium that evaluates the thresholds for underwater noise data collection. This program is scheduled to take place from January 2019 to January 2021 and will be focusing on the following priorities (QuietMed2, 2020):
• Support the D11 GES assessment in the Mediterranean region;
• Complete gaps in D11 monitoring data information and collection tools; and
• Coordinate measures within the Mediterranean region.
Each priority has several activities to complete throughout the life of the program.
The DFMR has implemented “Guidelines for an Offshore Environmental Baseline Survey for Oil and Gas Exploration Activities in Cyprus (DFMR, 2017)” to provide a current status of the environment prior to commencing activities in the lease area. Per these requirements, passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) are required to follow the international guidelines (UNEP/CMS/COP12/Doc.24.2.2 Marine Noise and ACCOBAMS-MOP6/2016/Doc30 Methodological Guide: Guidance on Underwater Noise Mitigation Measures) and have one PAM technician on board to monitor at night or during bad weather conditions.
The DFMR has proposed to use a glider to monitor underwater noise in the EEZ due to it being cost effective and the scope of application. The technical specifications of this proposal are as follows:
• Study the existing underwater noise data;
• Define the needs and coherence of a new study with existing data (e.g., from EIAs and cetaceans (whales and dolphins) surveys in the Cyprus EEZ; and
• Appropriate coverage areas i.e. should the study area be the whole EEZ or be in previo |
Coverage of GES criteria |
Adequate monitoring will be in place by 2024 |
Adequate monitoring will be in place by 2024 |
Gaps and plans |
Efforts are currently underway to achieve GES for Program D11 – Energy, including underwater noise through the following efforts:
• Sub program MALCY-D11, which is currently listed as inactive;
• Participation in the quietMED2 consortium;
• Acoustic requirements and monitoring already implemented within the “Guidelines for an Offshore Environmental Baseline survey for Oil and Gas Exploration Activities in Cyprus”; and
• Proposed gliders to monitor underwater nose in the EEZ.
It is also recommended that the deployment of an array of hydrophone moorings within targeted areas of the EEZ may be a more cost-efficient way to gain continuous long-term records on subsea noise within Cypriot territorial waters. Depending on the objective of the program, moorings could be deployed along a transect perpendicular to the coast. At each mooring location, two or three hydrophones could be mounted at different depths (i.e. near-surface, sound fixing and ranging (SOFAR) channel, and/or near-bottom) on the mooring line to detect ambient noise and establish a baseline for Cypriot waters. Hydrophones on the mooring should be set to detect cetaceans, vessel noise, and other anthropogenic activities for relatively continuous recording durations (i.e., 1 minute of recording / 9 minutes of rest) for a deployment period of up to 1 year. Each year the moorings would be serviced, hydrophone data downloaded, and then the mooring would be redeployed. Annual changes in underwater noise could then be investigated at various locations throughout the EEZ. This deployment strategy will also allow for more fine-scale investigations into underwater noise such as the impacts of seasonality, changes in vessel traffic, and increased subsea development within Cypriot territorial waters. |
Efforts are currently underway to achieve GES for Program D11 – Energy, including underwater noise through the following efforts:
• Sub program MALCY-D11, which is currently listed as inactive;
• Participation in the quietMED2 consortium;
• Acoustic requirements and monitoring already implemented within the “Guidelines for an Offshore Environmental Baseline survey for Oil and Gas Exploration Activities in Cyprus”; and
• Proposed gliders to monitor underwater nose in the EEZ.
It is also recommended that the deployment of an array of hydrophone moorings within targeted areas of the EEZ may be a more cost-efficient way to gain continuous long-term records on subsea noise within Cypriot territorial waters. Depending on the objective of the program, moorings could be deployed along a transect perpendicular to the coast. At each mooring location, two or three hydrophones could be mounted at different depths (i.e. near-surface, sound fixing and ranging (SOFAR) channel, and/or near-bottom) on the mooring line to detect ambient noise and establish a baseline for Cypriot waters. Hydrophones on the mooring should be set to detect cetaceans, vessel noise, and other anthropogenic activities for relatively continuous recording durations (i.e., 1 minute of recording / 9 minutes of rest) for a deployment period of up to 1 year. Each year the moorings would be serviced, hydrophone data downloaded, and then the mooring would be redeployed. Annual changes in underwater noise could then be investigated at various locations throughout the EEZ. This deployment strategy will also allow for more fine-scale investigations into underwater noise such as the impacts of seasonality, changes in vessel traffic, and increased subsea development within Cypriot territorial waters. |
Related targets |
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Coverage of targets |
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Related measures |
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Coverage of measures |
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Related monitoring programmes |
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Programme code |
D11 |
D11 |
Programme name |
Energy including underwater noise |
Energy including underwater noise |
Update type |
Same programme as in 2014 |
Same programme as in 2014 |
Old programme codes |
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Programme description |
The Energy monitoring programme records underwater noise data that assesses the intensity and frequency in high-risk area and evaluates the thresholds for underwater noise data collection. DFMR has implemented “Guidelines for an Offshore Environmental Baseline Survey for Oil and Gas Exploration Activities in Cyprus (DFMR, 2017)” to provide a current status of the environment prior to commencing activities in the lease area. Per these requirements, passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) are required to follow the international guidelines (UNEP/CMS/COP12/Doc.24.2.2 Marine Noise and ACCOBAMS-MOP6/2016/Doc30 Methodological Guide: Guidance on Underwater Noise Mitigation Measures) and have one PAM technician on board to monitor at night or during bad weather conditions.
The DFMR has proposed to use a glider to monitor underwater noise in the EEZ due to it being cost effective and the scope of application. The technical specifications of this proposal are as follows:
• Study the existing underwater noise data;
• Define the needs and coherence of a new study with existing data (e.g., from EIAs and cetaceans (whales and dolphins) surveys in the Cyprus EEZ; and
• Appropriate coverage areas i.e. should the study area be the whole EEZ or be in previous study areas such as the area surveyed in the 2016 to 2017 Research for cetaceans (whales and dolphins). |
The Energy monitoring programme records underwater noise data that assesses the intensity and frequency in high-risk area and evaluates the thresholds for underwater noise data collection. DFMR has implemented “Guidelines for an Offshore Environmental Baseline Survey for Oil and Gas Exploration Activities in Cyprus (DFMR, 2017)” to provide a current status of the environment prior to commencing activities in the lease area. Per these requirements, passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) are required to follow the international guidelines (UNEP/CMS/COP12/Doc.24.2.2 Marine Noise and ACCOBAMS-MOP6/2016/Doc30 Methodological Guide: Guidance on Underwater Noise Mitigation Measures) and have one PAM technician on board to monitor at night or during bad weather conditions.
The DFMR has proposed to use a glider to monitor underwater noise in the EEZ due to it being cost effective and the scope of application. The technical specifications of this proposal are as follows:
• Study the existing underwater noise data;
• Define the needs and coherence of a new study with existing data (e.g., from EIAs and cetaceans (whales and dolphins) surveys in the Cyprus EEZ; and
• Appropriate coverage areas i.e. should the study area be the whole EEZ or be in previous study areas such as the area surveyed in the 2016 to 2017 Research for cetaceans (whales and dolphins). |
Monitoring purpose |
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Other policies and conventions |
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Regional cooperation - coordinating body |
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Regional cooperation - countries involved |
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Regional cooperation - implementation level |
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Monitoring details |
See QuietMED2. 2020. Joint Program for GES assessment on D11-NOISE in the Mediterranean Marine Region and also Guidelines for an Offshore Environmental Baseline Survey for Oil and Gas Exploration Activities in Cyprus (DFMR, 2017). |
See QuietMED2. 2020. Joint Program for GES assessment on D11-NOISE in the Mediterranean Marine Region and also Guidelines for an Offshore Environmental Baseline Survey for Oil and Gas Exploration Activities in Cyprus (DFMR, 2017). |
Features |
Input of anthropogenic sound (impulsive, continuous)
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Input of anthropogenic sound (impulsive, continuous)
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Elements |
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GES criteria |
D11C1 |
D11C2 |
Parameters |
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Parameter Other |
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Spatial scope |
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Marine reporting units |
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Temporal scope (start date - end date) |
2006-9999 |
2006-9999 |
Monitoring frequency |
Other |
Other |
Monitoring type |
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Monitoring method |
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Monitoring method other |
The monitoring methods is determined based on the monitoring package used, and with standard practices based on manufacturers’ instructions. |
The monitoring methods is determined based on the monitoring package used, and with standard practices based on manufacturers’ instructions. |
Quality control |
Unknown
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Unknown
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Data management |
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Data access |
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Related indicator/name |
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Contact |
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References |
QuietMED2. 2020. Joint Program for GES assessment on D11-NOISE in the Mediterranean Marine Region; Department of Fisheries and Marine Research. 2017. Guidelines for an offshore Environmental Baseline Survey for Oil and Gas Exploration Activities in Cyprus. 22 pp. |
QuietMED2. 2020. Joint Program for GES assessment on D11-NOISE in the Mediterranean Marine Region; Department of Fisheries and Marine Research. 2017. Guidelines for an offshore Environmental Baseline Survey for Oil and Gas Exploration Activities in Cyprus. 22 pp. |