Member State report / Art11 / 2020 / D6 / Lithuania / Baltic 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 D6 Sea-floor integrity/D1 Benthic habitats
Member State Lithuania
Region/subregion Baltic Sea
Reported by Environmental Protection Agency
Report date 2020-10-16
Report access

Descriptor
D6/D1
Monitoring strategy description
In accordance with the State Environmental Monitoring Programme 2018-2023, the following elements that characterise the integrity of the seabed shall be investigated in Lithuanian marine waters: Macrozoobenthos, macrophytes (macrophytobentos). Macrozoobenthos shall be analysed annually at 15 sta...
Coverage of GES criteria
Adequate monitoring will be in place by 2024
Gaps and plans
Monitoring gaps and solutions: 1) The current monitoring of benthic habitats for methodological reasons does not properly assess solid seabed habitats, and Lithuania therefore plans to carry out a study in 2021 @-@ 2023 which will produce a detailed monitoring plan for reef habitats and macrophyt...
Related targets
  • 5
Coverage of targets
Adequate monitoring will be in place by 2024
Related measures
Coverage of measures
Related monitoring programmes
  • BALLT-D01256_Macrozoobenthos
  • BALLT-D0156_SeabedVegetation
  • BALLT-D0167_SeabedPhys
Programme code
BALLT-D01256_Macrozoobenthos
BALLT-D0156_SeabedVegetation
BALLT-D0167_SeabedPhys
Programme name
BALLT-D01256_Macrozoobenthos
BALLT-D0156_SeabedVegetation
BALLT-D0167_SeabedPhys
Update type
Same programme as in 2014
Same programme as in 2014
Modified from 2014
Old programme codes
Programme description
BAL-LT-AA-02
One is the area of the spread of the Curonian Lagoon waters in the Baltic Sea. The data are used to assess eutrophication of BAL-LT-AA-01 and BAL-LT-AA-02 areas under the Common Water Policy Directive under D5 and D6. The D5/D6 indicator is measured on the basis of the data collected: Maximum depth of distribution of Furcellaria lumbricalis.
BALLT-D0167_SeabedPhys includes the extent of the adverse effects of physical disturbance on each habitat type in each assessment site in accordance with criterion D6C3. The extent of disturbance (km² and %) in each habitat is assessed by covering the strata of the main habitat types with the sp...
Monitoring purpose
  • Environmental state and impacts
  • Environmental state and impacts
  • Human activities causing the pressures
  • Environmental state and impacts
  • Human activities causing the pressures
Other policies and conventions
  • HELCOM Monitoring programmes
  • Water Framework Directive
  • HELCOM Monitoring programmes
  • Habitats Directive
  • Water Framework Directive
  • HELCOM Monitoring programmes
  • Habitats Directive
  • Maritime Spatial Planning Directive
  • Water Framework Directive
Regional cooperation - coordinating body
Regional cooperation - countries involved
Regional cooperation - implementation level
Monitoring details
Zoobenthos shall be sampled on the basis of the HELCOM procedure, the Van Veen type primer (sampling area 0,1 m²), the Grunt samples have been washed through a sieve (the diameter of the eyes 0,5 mm) and the samples shall be recorded with 4 % formaldehyde solution. Samples are analysed by microscopy, gravimetric.
The weight shall be expressed in units of wet weight/m². A digital video camera (integrated into a sealed beam) performs the analysis of video images in a slow viewing mode in a laboratory. Video images assess the sediment composition (species, pebbles, gravel, sand), their average percentage and average coverage with macrophytobenthos species.
Features
Eutrophication
Eutrophication
Benthic broad habitats
Physical disturbance to seabed
Benthic broad habitats
Elements
  • Benthic habitats - macrobenthic communities
  • Benthic habitats - macrophyte communities
  • Infralittoral coarse sediment
  • Infralittoral rock and biogenic reef
  • Not Applicable
  • Circalittoral coarse sediment
  • Circalittoral mixed sediment
  • Circalittoral mud
  • Circalittoral rock and biogenic reef
  • Circalittoral sand
  • Infralittoral coarse sediment
  • Infralittoral mixed sediment
  • Infralittoral mud
  • Infralittoral rock and biogenic reef
  • Infralittoral sand
  • Offshore circalittoral mixed sediment
  • Offshore circalittoral mud
  • Offshore circalittoral sand
GES criteria
D5C8
D5C7
D6C3
D6C2
D6C3
Parameters
  • Other
  • Abundance (number of individuals)
  • Coverage (e.g. of a species within a habitat or area)
  • Extent
  • Other
  • Extent
  • Extent
  • Extent
Parameter Other
gausumas ir biomasė
augimo gylis, biomasė
Spatial scope
  • Coastal waters (WFD)
  • EEZ (or similar)
  • Territorial waters
  • Transitional waters (WFD)
  • Coastal waters (WFD)
  • Transitional waters (WFD)
  • Coastal waters (WFD)
  • Territorial waters
  • Transitional waters (WFD)
Marine reporting units
  • BAL-LT-AA-01
  • BAL-LT-AA-02
  • BAL-LT-AA-03
  • BAL-LT-AA-01
  • BAL-LT-AA-02
  • BAL-LT-AA-01
  • BAL-LT-AA-02
  • BAL-LT-AA-03
Temporal scope (start date - end date)
1981-9999
2007-9999
2012-9999
Monitoring frequency
Yearly
2-yearly
Other
Monitoring type
  • In-situ sampling coastal
  • In-situ sampling offshore
  • In-situ sampling coastal
  • Remote surveillance
  • Visual observation
  • In-situ sampling coastal
  • In-situ sampling offshore
  • Remote surveillance
  • Visual observation
Monitoring method
  • HELCOM Manual for monitoring in COMBINE programme
  • HELCOM Manual for monitoring in COMBINE programme
  • HELCOM Manual for monitoring in COMBINE programme
Monitoring method other
Monitoring is carried out according to the HELCOM guidelines (see HELCOM Monitoring Manual: http://www.helcom.fi/action-areas/monitoring-and-assessment/monitoring-manual)
Monitoring is carried out according to the HELCOM guidelines
Quality control
The quality of the analyses carried out by the Environmental Protection Agency in the laboratory work shall be ensured in accordance with the requirements of LST EN ISO/IEC 17025. Comparative studies are carried out to ensure data quality, data are compared to multi-annual trends, and exclusions are sought.
Macrophytobenthos monitoring shall be carried out in accordance with LST EN ISO 19493:2007, HELCOM methodology. Diving Instructors shall be carried out in accordance with the Diving Instructors (professional Association of diving Instructors) rules. Experts participate in joint HELCOM working groups.
Macrophytobenthos monitoring shall be carried out in accordance with LST EN ISO 19493:2007, HELCOM methodology. Diving Instructors shall be carried out in accordance with the Diving Instructors (professional Association of diving Instructors) rules. Comparative studies shall be carried out to ens...
Data management
The data are stored in the Environmental Protection Agency’s database. Used to assess the state of the marine environment under the Common Water Policy Directive, the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, monitoring multi-annual trends. To be provided annually to ICES. Requests shall be made ava...
The data are compiled in the database of the Lithuanian Environmental Protection Agency and the Institute for Maritime Research of the University of Klaipėda http://apc.ku.lt/en/. Used to assess the status of coastal and transitional waters in terms of WFD, the state of the marine environment under the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, monitoring multi-annual trends. Submitted to HELCOM.
The data are compiled in the database of the Lithuanian Environmental Protection Agency and the Institute for Maritime Research of the University of Klaipėda http://apc.ku.lt/en/. Used to assess the status of coastal and transitional waters in terms of WFD, the state of the marine environment under the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, monitoring multi-annual trends. Submitted to HELCOM.
Data access
Related indicator/name
Contact
References