The results obtained at the scale of the Bay of Biscay marine sub-region show that 7 contaminants, or groups of contaminants, are not in good condition out of the 11 considered. In the framework of Decision 2017/848/EU, only chemical contaminants were retained for the evaluation of descriptor 9. However, at the national level, France proposes to also consider algal toxins (phycotoxins) in the evaluation of criterion D9C1. Thus, the 11 contaminants, or groups of contaminants, considered for this evaluation include 8 groups of chemical contaminants and 3 groups of phycotoxins. In addition, this assessment is based on extensive analytical data from bivalve molluscs. Because of their filtering role, these species are a good indicator of the ecological status of the surrounding environment and therefore allow the ecological status of coastal areas to be assessed. The use of fish data can, in turn, provide an assessment of the ecological status of the offshore. However, these data are patchy and additional efforts are required, in terms of the exact source and number of samples considered, particularly at the upper links of the food web. The threshold at parameter level, set at 0% exceedance of regulatory maximum limits, results in a poor state of the contaminant, or group of contaminants, for a single exceedance over several tens or even hundreds of measurements. This threshold therefore lacks robustness within the framework of a long-term management policy. The setting of a tolerance threshold will therefore have to be discussed at European level between the different Member States.

The results obtained at the scale of the Bay of Biscay marine sub-region show that 7 contaminants, or groups of contaminants, are not in good condition out of the 11 considered. In the framework of Decision 2017/848/EU, only chemical contaminants were retained for the evaluation of descriptor 9. However, at the national level, France proposes to also consider algal toxins (phycotoxins) in the evaluation of criterion D9C1. Thus, the 11 contaminants, or groups of contaminants, considered for this evaluation include 8 groups of chemical contaminants and 3 groups of phycotoxins. In addition, this assessment is based on extensive analytical data from bivalve molluscs. Because of their filtering role, these species are a good indicator of the ecological status of the surrounding environment and therefore allow the ecological status of coastal areas to be assessed. The use of fish data can, in turn, provide an assessment of the ecological status of the offshore. However, these data are patchy and additional efforts are required, in terms of the exact source and number of samples considered, particularly at the upper links of the food web. The threshold at parameter level, set at 0% exceedance of regulatory maximum limits, results in a poor state of the contaminant, or group of contaminants, for a single exceedance over several tens or even hundreds of measurements. This threshold therefore lacks robustness within the framework of a long-term management policy. The setting of a tolerance threshold will therefore have to be discussed at European level between the different Member States.

The results obtained at the scale of the Bay of Biscay marine sub-region show that 7 contaminants, or groups of contaminants, are not in good condition out of the 11 considered. In the framework of Decision 2017/848/EU, only chemical contaminants were retained for the evaluation of descriptor 9. However, at the national level, France proposes to also consider algal toxins (phycotoxins) in the evaluation of criterion D9C1. Thus, the 11 contaminants, or groups of contaminants, considered for this evaluation include 8 groups of chemical contaminants and 3 groups of phycotoxins. In addition, this assessment is based on extensive analytical data from bivalve molluscs. Because of their filtering role, these species are a good indicator of the ecological status of the surrounding environment and therefore allow the ecological status of coastal areas to be assessed. The use of fish data can, in turn, provide an assessment of the ecological status of the offshore. However, these data are patchy and additional efforts are required, in terms of the exact source and number of samples considered, particularly at the upper links of the food web. The threshold at parameter level, set at 0% exceedance of regulatory maximum limits, results in a poor state of the contaminant, or group of contaminants, for a single exceedance over several tens or even hundreds of measurements. This threshold therefore lacks robustness within the framework of a long-term management policy. The setting of a tolerance threshold will therefore have to be discussed at European level between the different Member States.

The results obtained at the scale of the Bay of Biscay marine sub-region show that 7 contaminants, or groups of contaminants, are not in good condition out of the 11 considered. In the framework of Decision 2017/848/EU, only chemical contaminants were retained for the evaluation of descriptor 9. However, at the national level, France proposes to also consider algal toxins (phycotoxins) in the evaluation of criterion D9C1. Thus, the 11 contaminants, or groups of contaminants, considered for this evaluation include 8 groups of chemical contaminants and 3 groups of phycotoxins. In addition, this assessment is based on extensive analytical data from bivalve molluscs. Because of their filtering role, these species are a good indicator of the ecological status of the surrounding environment and therefore allow the ecological status of coastal areas to be assessed. The use of fish data can, in turn, provide an assessment of the ecological status of the offshore. However, these data are patchy and additional efforts are required, in terms of the exact source and number of samples considered, particularly at the upper links of the food web. The threshold at parameter level, set at 0% exceedance of regulatory maximum limits, results in a poor state of the contaminant, or group of contaminants, for a single exceedance over several tens or even hundreds of measurements. This threshold therefore lacks robustness within the framework of a long-term management policy. The setting of a tolerance threshold will therefore have to be discussed at European level between the different Member States.

The results obtained at the scale of the Bay of Biscay marine sub-region show that 7 contaminants, or groups of contaminants, are not in good condition out of the 11 considered. In the framework of Decision 2017/848/EU, only chemical contaminants were retained for the evaluation of descriptor 9. However, at the national level, France proposes to also consider algal toxins (phycotoxins) in the evaluation of criterion D9C1. Thus, the 11 contaminants, or groups of contaminants, considered for this evaluation include 8 groups of chemical contaminants and 3 groups of phycotoxins. In addition, this assessment is based on extensive analytical data from bivalve molluscs. Because of their filtering role, these species are a good indicator of the ecological status of the surrounding environment and therefore allow the ecological status of coastal areas to be assessed. The use of fish data can, in turn, provide an assessment of the ecological status of the offshore. However, these data are patchy and additional efforts are required, in terms of the exact source and number of samples considered, particularly at the upper links of the food web. The threshold at parameter level, set at 0% exceedance of regulatory maximum limits, results in a poor state of the contaminant, or group of contaminants, for a single exceedance over several tens or even hundreds of measurements. This threshold therefore lacks robustness within the framework of a long-term management policy. The setting of a tolerance threshold will therefore have to be discussed at European level between the different Member States.

The results obtained at the scale of the Bay of Biscay marine sub-region show that 7 contaminants, or groups of contaminants, are not in good condition out of the 11 considered. In the framework of Decision 2017/848/EU, only chemical contaminants were retained for the evaluation of descriptor 9. However, at the national level, France proposes to also consider algal toxins (phycotoxins) in the evaluation of criterion D9C1. Thus, the 11 contaminants, or groups of contaminants, considered for this evaluation include 8 groups of chemical contaminants and 3 groups of phycotoxins. In addition, this assessment is based on extensive analytical data from bivalve molluscs. Because of their filtering role, these species are a good indicator of the ecological status of the surrounding environment and therefore allow the ecological status of coastal areas to be assessed. The use of fish data can, in turn, provide an assessment of the ecological status of the offshore. However, these data are patchy and additional efforts are required, in terms of the exact source and number of samples considered, particularly at the upper links of the food web. The threshold at parameter level, set at 0% exceedance of regulatory maximum limits, results in a poor state of the contaminant, or group of contaminants, for a single exceedance over several tens or even hundreds of measurements. This threshold therefore lacks robustness within the framework of a long-term management policy. The setting of a tolerance threshold will therefore have to be discussed at European level between the different Member States.

The results obtained at the scale of the Bay of Biscay marine sub-region show that 7 contaminants, or groups of contaminants, are not in good condition out of the 11 considered. In the framework of Decision 2017/848/EU, only chemical contaminants were retained for the evaluation of descriptor 9. However, at the national level, France proposes to also consider algal toxins (phycotoxins) in the evaluation of criterion D9C1. Thus, the 11 contaminants, or groups of contaminants, considered for this evaluation include 8 groups of chemical contaminants and 3 groups of phycotoxins. In addition, this assessment is based on extensive analytical data from bivalve molluscs. Because of their filtering role, these species are a good indicator of the ecological status of the surrounding environment and therefore allow the ecological status of coastal areas to be assessed. The use of fish data can, in turn, provide an assessment of the ecological status of the offshore. However, these data are patchy and additional efforts are required, in terms of the exact source and number of samples considered, particularly at the upper links of the food web. The threshold at parameter level, set at 0% exceedance of regulatory maximum limits, results in a poor state of the contaminant, or group of contaminants, for a single exceedance over several tens or even hundreds of measurements. This threshold therefore lacks robustness within the framework of a long-term management policy. The setting of a tolerance threshold will therefore have to be discussed at European level between the different Member States.

The results obtained at the scale of the Bay of Biscay marine sub-region show that 7 contaminants, or groups of contaminants, are not in good condition out of the 11 considered. In the framework of Decision 2017/848/EU, only chemical contaminants were retained for the evaluation of descriptor 9. However, at the national level, France proposes to also consider algal toxins (phycotoxins) in the evaluation of criterion D9C1. Thus, the 11 contaminants, or groups of contaminants, considered for this evaluation include 8 groups of chemical contaminants and 3 groups of phycotoxins. In addition, this assessment is based on extensive analytical data from bivalve molluscs. Because of their filtering role, these species are a good indicator of the ecological status of the surrounding environment and therefore allow the ecological status of coastal areas to be assessed. The use of fish data can, in turn, provide an assessment of the ecological status of the offshore. However, these data are patchy and additional efforts are required, in terms of the exact source and number of samples considered, particularly at the upper links of the food web. The threshold at parameter level, set at 0% exceedance of regulatory maximum limits, results in a poor state of the contaminant, or group of contaminants, for a single exceedance over several tens or even hundreds of measurements. This threshold therefore lacks robustness within the framework of a long-term management policy. The setting of a tolerance threshold will therefore have to be discussed at European level between the different Member States.

The results obtained at the scale of the Bay of Biscay marine sub-region show that 7 contaminants, or groups of contaminants, are not in good condition out of the 11 considered. In the framework of Decision 2017/848/EU, only chemical contaminants were retained for the evaluation of descriptor 9. However, at the national level, France proposes to also consider algal toxins (phycotoxins) in the evaluation of criterion D9C1. Thus, the 11 contaminants, or groups of contaminants, considered for this evaluation include 8 groups of chemical contaminants and 3 groups of phycotoxins. In addition, this assessment is based on extensive analytical data from bivalve molluscs. Because of their filtering role, these species are a good indicator of the ecological status of the surrounding environment and therefore allow the ecological status of coastal areas to be assessed. The use of fish data can, in turn, provide an assessment of the ecological status of the offshore. However, these data are patchy and additional efforts are required, in terms of the exact source and number of samples considered, particularly at the upper links of the food web. The threshold at parameter level, set at 0% exceedance of regulatory maximum limits, results in a poor state of the contaminant, or group of contaminants, for a single exceedance over several tens or even hundreds of measurements. This threshold therefore lacks robustness within the framework of a long-term management policy. The setting of a tolerance threshold will therefore have to be discussed at European level between the different Member States.

The results obtained at the scale of the Bay of Biscay marine sub-region show that 7 contaminants, or groups of contaminants, are not in good condition out of the 11 considered. In the framework of Decision 2017/848/EU, only chemical contaminants were retained for the evaluation of descriptor 9. However, at the national level, France proposes to also consider algal toxins (phycotoxins) in the evaluation of criterion D9C1. Thus, the 11 contaminants, or groups of contaminants, considered for this evaluation include 8 groups of chemical contaminants and 3 groups of phycotoxins. In addition, this assessment is based on extensive analytical data from bivalve molluscs. Because of their filtering role, these species are a good indicator of the ecological status of the surrounding environment and therefore allow the ecological status of coastal areas to be assessed. The use of fish data can, in turn, provide an assessment of the ecological status of the offshore. However, these data are patchy and additional efforts are required, in terms of the exact source and number of samples considered, particularly at the upper links of the food web. The threshold at parameter level, set at 0% exceedance of regulatory maximum limits, results in a poor state of the contaminant, or group of contaminants, for a single exceedance over several tens or even hundreds of measurements. This threshold therefore lacks robustness within the framework of a long-term management policy. The setting of a tolerance threshold will therefore have to be discussed at European level between the different Member States.

The results obtained at the scale of the Bay of Biscay marine sub-region show that 7 contaminants, or groups of contaminants, are not in good condition out of the 11 considered. In the framework of Decision 2017/848/EU, only chemical contaminants were retained for the evaluation of descriptor 9. However, at the national level, France proposes to also consider algal toxins (phycotoxins) in the evaluation of criterion D9C1. Thus, the 11 contaminants, or groups of contaminants, considered for this evaluation include 8 groups of chemical contaminants and 3 groups of phycotoxins. In addition, this assessment is based on extensive analytical data from bivalve molluscs. Because of their filtering role, these species are a good indicator of the ecological status of the surrounding environment and therefore allow the ecological status of coastal areas to be assessed. The use of fish data can, in turn, provide an assessment of the ecological status of the offshore. However, these data are patchy and additional efforts are required, in terms of the exact source and number of samples considered, particularly at the upper links of the food web. The threshold at parameter level, set at 0% exceedance of regulatory maximum limits, results in a poor state of the contaminant, or group of contaminants, for a single exceedance over several tens or even hundreds of measurements. This threshold therefore lacks robustness within the framework of a long-term management policy. The setting of a tolerance threshold will therefore have to be discussed at European level between the different Member States.