Member State report / Art8 / 2012 / D11 / Denmark / Baltic Sea

Report type Member State report to Commission
MSFD Article Art. 8 Initial assessment (and Art. 17 updates)
Report due 2012-10-15
GES Descriptor D11 Energy, incl. underwater noise
Member State Denmark
Region/subregion Baltic Sea
Reported by Nature Agency
Report date 2013-04-29
Report access BALDK_MSFD8bPressures_20130430.xml

Baltic Sea

GES component
D11C1 Anthropogenic impulsive sound (11.1, 11.1.1)
D11C2 Anthropogenic continuous low-frequency sound (11.2, 11.2.1)
Feature
LevelPressureImpulsive
LevelPressureContinuous
ImpactPressureFunctionalGroups
Assessment Topic
NoiseImpulsive11_1
NoiseContinuous11_2
Element
MammalsAll
Element 2
ThresholdValue
To beestablished
To be established
Threshold value/Value unit
To be established
To be established
Proportion threshold value
-8888
-8888
Status of criteria/indicator
NotAssessed
NotAssessed
Status trend
Unknown_NotAssessed
Unknown_NotAssessed
Status confidence
NotRelevant
NotRelevant
Description (status of criteria/indicator)
Level of knowledge is insufficient at present to carry out assessments.
Level of knowledge is insufficient at present to carry out assessments.
Limitations
Assessment period
Description
Main impulsive sound sources in Danish marine waters are: Pile driving for offshore wind farms, seismic investigations, detonation of dumped munition, offshore construction work other than pile driving, pingers on fishing nets, subbottom profiling and other seabed and depth measurements, military sonar. Knowledge on trends not documentet. Activity levels are possibly increasing
Main continuous sound sources in Danish marine waters are: Shipping including large commercial vessels, ferries and fishing vessels. These activities are a dominating source to noice relevant for marine mammals. Small motorboats and jet skies may locally be a dominating source in coastal areas. Especially in the area above 10 kHz where the marine mammals have their best hearing. Activity levels are possibly increasing for all mentioned activities.
Very little specific knowledge on noise impact has been accumulated at present. Studies show a decreased presence of harbour porpoise in some wind farm in the assessment area after construction. If causes are directly or partly related to construction noice or operational noice or other factors have not been documented.
Input load
Unknown_NotAssessed
Unknown_NotAssessed
Load unit
Confidence
Non related GES component
Moderate
Trends (recent)
Unknown_NotAssessed
Unknown_NotAssessed
Trends (future)
Unknown_NotAssessed
Unknown_NotAssessed
Description (activities)
Impulsive sounds are generated form a number of activities. The activities currently in focus in Denmark are construction of offshore windfarms (mono pile driving), various types of seismic surveys and detonation of dumped munition at sea.
Impulsive sounds are generated form a number of activities. The activities currently in focus in Denmark are construction of offshore windfarms (mono pile driving), various types of seismic surveys and detonation of dumped munition at sea.
Impulsive sounds are generated form a number of activities. The activities currently in focus in Denmark are construction of offshore windfarms (mono pile driving), various types of seismic surveys and detonation of dumped munition at sea.
Activity type
  • DumpingMunitions
  • NotReported
  • OffshoreStructures
  • DumpingMunitions
  • NotReported
  • OffshoreStructures
  • DumpingMunitions
  • NotReported
  • OffshoreStructures
Information gaps
Specific knowledge in Danish waters on cause and effect of both continuous and impulsive sound is limited. Denmark participates in the BIAS project that aims at measurements and modelling of a Baltic soundscape including Danish Waters. The criterium 11.2.1 is not relevant for the shallow Danish waters. A better criterium therefore needs to be developed. Knowledge on impact of sound on marine mammals and fish need to be accumulated.
Specific knowledge in Danish waters on cause and effect of both continuous and impulsive sound is limited. Denmark participates in the BIAS project that aims at measurements and modelling of a Baltic soundscape including Danish Waters. The criterium 11.2.1 is not relevant for the shallow Danish waters. A better criterium therefore needs to be developed. Knowledge on impact of sound on marine mammals and fish need to be accumulated.
Specific knowledge in Danish waters on cause and effect of both continuous and impulsive sound is limited. Denmark participates in the BIAS project that aims at measurements and modelling of a Baltic soundscape including Danish Waters. The criterium 11.2.1 is not relevant for the shallow Danish waters. A better criterium therefore needs to be developed. Knowledge on impact of sound on marine mammals and fish need to be accumulated.