Member State report / Art11 / 2020 / D10 / Latvia / 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 D10 Litter
Member State Latvia
Region/subregion Baltic Sea
Reported by Latvian Institute of Aquatic Ecology
Report date 2021-06-09
Report access

Descriptor
D10
D10
Monitoring strategy description
1. The data are gathered following UN Environmental program methodology surveying 100 m long beach transects. 2. Manta trawl will be used to take samples from surface layer.
1. The data are gathered following UN Environmental program methodology surveying 100 m long beach transects. 2. Manta trawl will be used to take samples from surface layer.
Coverage of GES criteria
Adequate monitoring will be in place by 2024
Adequate monitoring will be in place by 2024
Gaps and plans
1. None for LV-4.10.1. 2. The monitoring program LV-4.10.2. have not been initiated yet. It is planned to initiate monitoring in 2022.
1. None for LV-4.10.1. 2. The monitoring program LV-4.10.2. have not been initiated yet. It is planned to initiate monitoring in 2022.
Related targets
  • JVM6
  • JVM6
Coverage of targets
Adequate monitoring will be in place by 2024
Adequate monitoring will be in place by 2024
Related measures
Coverage of measures
Related monitoring programmes
  • LV-4.10.1. (D10C1)
  • LV-4.10.2. (D10C2)
  • LV-4.10.1. (D10C1)
  • LV-4.10.2. (D10C2)
Programme code
LV-4.10.1. (D10C1)
LV-4.10.2. (D10C2)
Programme name
Litter characteristics and abundance/volume on coast, seabed
Litter micro-particles abundance/volume in water, sediment
Update type
New programme
New programme
Old programme codes
Programme description
The purpose of the monitoring is to assess the ecological status of the Baltic Sea including one of the environmental status components pollution by litter by observing spatial distribution, abundance/amount and composition of the macrolitter on the beach and seafloor. The programme supports the assessment of temporal trends, spatial distribution and state classification. HELCOM Monitoring Programme topic Litter. Corresponding HELCOM programmes "Macrolitter characteristics and abundance/volume Beach litter" and Litter on the seafloor. The programme supports the assessment of temporal trends, spatial distribution and state classification. Currently no fully coordinated monitoring of marine litter exists in the HELCOM region. Methodology and monitoring protocols need further coordination, including with EU MSFD requirements (for the programme Macrolitter characteristics and abundance/volume .Beach litter). Coordinated monitoring programme Litter on the seafloor is under development. Monitoring is carried out within national sub-programmes "Macrolitter characteristics and abundance/volume beach litter" and "Macrolitter characteristics and abundance/volume litter on the seafloor". The requirements for the marine waters of Latvia and the relationship of the specified environmental objectives with the qualitative characteristics characterizing the state of the marine environment are included in Regulation of the Cabinet of Ministers of Republic of Latvia No. 1071 of 23 November 2010, Requirements for the Assessment of the State of the Marine Environment, the Determination of Good Environmental State of the Sea and Development of Marine Environmental Goals. Management of the litter is covered by the "Waste Management Law (18.11.2010.)".
The purpose of the monitoring is to assess the ecological status of the Baltic Sea including one of the environmental status components pollution by litter - by observing spatial distribution, abundance/volume and composition of the microlitter in the upper part of water column and in bottom sediments. The programme supports the assessment of temporal trends, spatial distribution and state classification. HELCOM Monitoring Programme topic Litter. Corresponding HELCOM programme " Microlitter particle abundance and characteristics". The programme supports the assessment of temporal trends, spatial distribution and state classification. Currently no coordinated monitoring of marine microlitter exists in the HELCOM region; it is under development and should be ready by 2026. National monitoring concerning microlitter in the surface water and sediments will be carried out within national sub-programme "Microlitter particle abundance and characteristics". The requirements for the marine waters of Latvia and the relationship of the specified environmental objectives with the qualitative characteristics characterizing the state of the marine environment are included in Regulation of the Cabinet of Ministers of Republic of Latvia No. 1071 of 23 November 2010, Requirements for the Assessment of the State of the Marine Environment, the Determination of Good Environmental State of the Sea and Development of Marine Environmental Goals.
Monitoring purpose
  • Effectiveness of measures
  • Pressures in the marine environment
  • Pressures in the marine environment
Other policies and conventions
  • Bathing Water Directive
  • Data Collection Framework Multi-Annual Plan (Common Fisheries Policy)
  • HELCOM Monitoring programmes
  • International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships
  • Water Framework Directive
  • HELCOM Monitoring programmes
  • Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive
  • Waste Framework Directive
Regional cooperation - coordinating body
  • HELCOM
  • HELCOM
Regional cooperation - countries involved
Regional cooperation - implementation level
Common monitoring strategy
Agreed data collection methods
Monitoring details
Composition and amount of litter on the beach is determined according to the UN environmental program methodology by surveying 100 metres long sections of beach from the water line to the first permanent vegetation or to the edge of steep shore. Litter units are listed by categories. Survey is carried out annually at 35 beach sections. Composition and amount of litter on the seafloor in the open part of Baltic sea is determined during the benthic fish (cod and flounder) trawl research surveys using bottom trawl twice a year in March and December. In the sampling research bottom trawl TV3 930 with the mesh size in the cod end 10 mm is used. Trawling time 30 minutes, speed 3 knots. Trawling is performed in the light part of the day at random points on a specified network of stations from a trawl route database. In the Gulf of Riga three benthic fish research surveys are performed every year in May, August and October. Survey is performed on various depths at specified stations or routes (Irbe strait and Gulf of Riga west, east, south and central parts). In the sampling bottom trawl with the opening 18 m and mesh size in the wings 17 mm and in the cod end 6.8 mm is used. Trawling time .30 minutes, speed 3 knots. Area of trawling during 1 hour 50000 sqm. Accounting of litter on seafloor is carried out in accordance with the ICES WGBIFS methodology. For marine beach litter in Latvia currently survey have been carried out by non-governmental organizations in cooperation with the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE Latvia) in the frame of international project BLASTIC.
Monitoring of microlitter in the upper layer of water column is performed by surveying of 1.2 nautical miles long sectors, starting from the selected fixed stations, the coordinates of which have been determined in advance. Sampling is performed using standard Manta trawl with mesh size 300 um, which is pulled in parallel to the ship movement with speed 2 nautical miles/h; sampling period in October November. Observations of microlitter in the bottom sediments is performed in fixed monitoring stations, the coordinates of which have been determined in advance. Sampling with the Kajak Corer gravity sampler, in June August. Sediment core is divided into 2 cm layer subsamples. Composition of the microlitter is determined by FTIR method and Raman spectroscopy. Frequency of the monitoring twice in the reporting period.
Features
Litter in the environment
Micro-litter in the environment
Elements
  • Macrolitter (all)
  • Artificial polymer materials
GES criteria
D10C1
D10C2
Parameters
  • Amount on coastline
  • Other
  • Amount on seabed
  • Amount on water surface
Parameter Other
Amount on seafloor
Spatial scope
  • Coastal waters (WFD)
  • Terrestrial part of MS
  • Territorial waters
  • Transitional waters (WFD)
  • Coastal waters (WFD)
  • EEZ (or similar)
  • Territorial waters
  • Transitional waters (WFD)
Marine reporting units
  • BAL-LV-AAA-007
  • BAL-LV-AAA-009
  • BAL-LV-AAA-007
  • BAL-LV-AAA-009
Temporal scope (start date - end date)
2021-2026
2021-2026
Monitoring frequency
Other
3-yearly
Monitoring type
  • In-situ sampling coastal
  • In-situ sampling land/beach
  • In-situ sampling offshore
  • In-situ sampling coastal
  • In-situ sampling offshore
Monitoring method
  • Guidance on Monitoring of Marine Litter in European Seas [note: to be updated with specific guidance for beaches, water, seabed and microlitter when available from TG Litter]
  • HELCOM Guidelines for monitoring beach litter
  • Guidance on Monitoring of Marine Litter in European Seas [note: to be updated with specific guidance for beaches, water, seabed and microlitter when available from TG Litter]
Monitoring method other
Quality control
QA and QC: International Baltic Sea bottom trawl surveys are coordinated and results of surveys are discussed within the ICES working group Baltic International Fish Survey Working Group (WGBIFS).
QA/QC procedures - no
Data management
Data holder about pelagic fish/macrolitter on seafloor surveys is Institute of Food Safety, Animal Health and Environment "BIOR" Corresponding data are available in BIOR and ICES DATRAS.
Data holder is Latvian Institute of Aquatic Ecology (LIAE). QC procedures for data no. Data are available in LIAE
Data access
Related indicator/name
  • AMO-SB
  • AMO-WS
  • PresEnvLitterMicro
Contact
Institute of of Food Safety, Animal Health and Environment "BIOR":
Latvian Institute of Aquatic Ecology e-mail: juris.aigars@lhei.lv
References
For fish survey: https://www.bior.lv/sites/default/files/inline-files/Piekrastes_uzskaites_bentiska_uskaite_RJL.pdf For macrolitter survey: http://www.ices.dk/sites/pub/Publication%20Reports/ICES%20Survey%20Protocols%20(SISP)/SISP7%20BITS%202017.pdf