MS/Art9/2018/D5/Lithuania/Baltic Sea

Member State report / Art9 / 2018 / D5 / 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	D5 Eutrophication
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

Simplified table

GES component	D5	D5C1	D5C1	D5C1	D5C2	D5C2	D5C3	D5C4	D5C4	D5C5	D5C6	D5C7	D5C8	5.1.2	5.2	5.3
Marine reporting units		BAL-LT-AA-01 BAL-LT-AA-02	BAL-LT-AA-03	BAL-LT-MS-01	BAL-LT-AA-01 BAL-LT-AA-02	BAL-LT-AA-03		BAL-LT-AA-01	BAL-LT-AA-03			BAL-LT-AA-01 BAL-LT-AA-02
Features		Eutrophication	Eutrophication	Eutrophication	Eutrophication	Eutrophication		Eutrophication	Eutrophication			Eutrophication Physical disturbance to seabed
GES description		Concentrations of nutrients are below the levels that indicate a negative effect of eutrophication. The condition is assessed according to the WFD indicators: 1) Average total nitrogen concentration in summer, 2) Average total phosphorus concentration in summer.	Concentrations of nutrients are below the levels that indicate a negative effect of eutrophication. The condition is assessed according to the indicators: 1) Concentration of dissolved inorganic nitrogen in winter. 2) Concentration of dissolved inorganic phosphorus compounds in winter. 3) Average annual total nitrogen concentration. 4) Average annual concentration of total phosphorus.	Concentrations of nutrients are below the levels that indicate a negative effect of eutrophication. In addition to the GES indicators, target indicators are also used to assess the criterion: 1) Nitrogen inflow into the Baltic Sea, 2) Phosphorus inflow into the Baltic Sea.	Chlorophyll a concentrations are below levels indicating adverse effects of nutrient growth. The condition is assessed according to the WFD indicator - the average summer concentration of cholorophyll "a".	Chlorophyll a concentrations are below levels indicating adverse effects of nutrient growth. The condition is assessed according to the indicators: 1) Summer average concentration of cholorophyll “a”. 2) Average annual concentration of cholorophyll "a".		The photic limit (transparency) of the water column has not decreased to a level indicating a negative effect of nutrient growth due to the increased amount of suspended algae. The indicator used is the average transparency of summer water.	The photic limit (transparency) of the water column is not reduced, due to increases in suspended algae, to a level that indicates adverse effects of nutrient enrichment. The status is assessed on the basis of the following indicators: Average summer and average annual water transparency.			The species composition and relative abundance or depth distribution of macrophyte communities reach values that indicate that nutrient accumulation does not cause adverse effects, including loss of water transparency. The WFD indicator “Maximum depth of distribution of the red alga (Furcellaria lumbricalis)” (also used for criterion D6C3) is used to assess the condition.
Determination date		201304	201304	201304	201304	201304		201304	201304			201304
Update type		Same as last reported determination	Same as last reported determination	Same as last reported determination	Same as last reported determination	Same as last reported determination		Same as last reported determination	Same as last reported determination			Same as last reported determination
Justification for non-use of criterion							To assess the status according to the criteria, the indicator “Blooms of harmful algae (e.g. blue-green algae) in the water column” and GES values were proposed, and the state of the marine environment was assessed. However, data are still needed for the further development and use of the indicator.			Oxygen conditions in the seabed bottom layer have been assessed and the amount of data is insufficient to establish trends and thresholds.
Justification for delay in setting EU/regional requirements							To assess the status according to the criteria, the indicator “Blooms of harmful algae (e.g. blue-green algae) in the water column” and GES values were proposed, and the state of the marine environment was assessed. However, data are still needed for the further development and use of the indicator.			Oxygen conditions in the seabed bottom layer have been assessed and the amount of data is insufficient to establish trends and thresholds.