Member State report / Art9 / 2018 / D1-B / Lithuania / Baltic Sea
| Report type | Member State report to Commission |
| MSFD Article | Art. 9 Determination of GES (and Art. 17 updates) |
| Report due | 2018-10-15 |
| GES Descriptor | D1 Birds |
| Member State | Lithuania |
| Region/subregion | Baltic Sea |
| Reported by | Environmental Protection Agency |
| Report date | 2020-06-09 |
| Report access | ART9_GES_LT-04-08-corrected-06-03.xml |
GES component |
D1
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D1-B
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D1C1
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D1C2
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D1C2
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D1C3
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D1C4
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D1C5
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Marine reporting units |
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Features |
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GES description |
The mortality of each species due to incidental by-catches is lower than the level that would endanger the species, thus ensuring its long-term viability. The criterion is described by the indicator “By-catches of seabirds in commercial fishing gear”, the GES value is determined - by-catches of wintering seabirds in fishing gear during the observation period are less than 1% of the natural mortality of each adult bird (assessed separately for each species). The status of the indicator was not assessed due to lack of data.
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Anthropogenic pressures do not adversely affect the population abundance of the species, thus ensuring its long-term viability. The abundance of wintering seabird populations is assessed separately for: 1) water-feeding (pelagic) birds and 2) benthic-feeding birds. Benthic-feeding birds: Bucephala clangula, Melanitta fusca, Clangula hyemalis, Melanitta nigra, Somateria mollissima, Polysticta stelleri. GES values were determined for each type of functional group. When assessing the status of functional groups of seabird species, the proportion (%) of species in the group that were assessed as good was determined. A group of functional seabird species shall be considered to be in good condition if at least 75% of the individual species assessed for that species have been assessed as good.
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Anthropogenic pressures do not adversely affect the population abundance of the species, thus ensuring its long-term viability. The abundance of wintering seabird populations is assessed separately for: 1) water-feeding (pelagic) birds and 2) benthic-feeding birds. Pelagic-feeding birds: brown-necked / black-necked diver (Gavia sp.), Eared plover (Podiceps cristatus), great crested grebe (Mergus merganser), medium-backed grebe (Mergus serrator), small grebe (Mergellus albus) GES values were determined for each type of functional group. When assessing the status of functional groups of seabird species, the proportion (%) of species in the group that were assessed as good was determined. A group of functional seabird species shall be considered to be in good condition if at least 75% of the individual species assessed for that species have been assessed as good.
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Determination date |
201304 |
201304 |
201304 |
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Update type |
Modified from reported determination |
Modified from reported determination |
Modified from reported determination |
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Justification for non-use of criterion |
Information on by-catches of seabirds and mammals in gillnets is not comprehensive in order to properly assess by-catches in Lithuania. There are no known mortality rates for individual species due to incidental by-catches and threshold values that would endanger these species.
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Justification for delay in setting EU/regional requirements |
The criterion is described by the indicator “By-catches of seabirds in commercial fishing gear”, the GES value is determined - by-catches of wintering seabirds in fishing gear during the observation period are less than 1% of the natural mortality of each adult bird (assessed separately for each species). The status of the indicator was not assessed due to lack of data.
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The criterion applies to coastal areas, with the exception of two indicators for assessing the abundance of sea trout and salmon. For the high seas, the criterion is hardly used and its values are not determined due to a lack of data. Stocking on the high seas was planned for winter 2019-2020, but due to bad weather and delays in the procurement procedure studies were postponed to winter 2020-2021. The indicator “Breeding seabird abundance” is currently not applicable for national assessment: out of 26 species included in the HELCOM indicator assessment, 16 breed in Lithuania, but their habitats in Lithuania are not related to the marine environment. The latter indicator would be suitable for assessing the abundance of the large cormorant population, but due to the measures taken to regulate the population (grandfathering from interceptions) the assessment would not be accurate.
The mammal indicator (Population abundance) has not been assessed as there are no seal colonies in Lithuanian marine waters which need to be monitored according to the HELCOM methodology.
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The criterion applies to coastal areas, with the exception of two indicators for assessing the abundance of sea trout and salmon. For the high seas, the criterion is hardly used and its values are not determined due to a lack of data. Stocking on the high seas was planned for winter 2019-2020, but due to bad weather and delays in the procurement procedure studies were postponed to winter 2020-2021. The indicator “Breeding seabird abundance” is currently not applicable for national assessment: out of 26 species included in the HELCOM indicator assessment, 16 breed in Lithuania, but their habitats in Lithuania are not related to the marine environment. The latter indicator would be suitable for assessing the abundance of the large cormorant population, but due to the measures taken to regulate the population (grandfathering from interceptions) the assessment would not be accurate.
The mammal indicator (Population abundance) has not been assessed as there are no seal colonies in Lithuanian marine waters which need to be monitored according to the HELCOM methodology.
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