Member State report / Art11 / 2020 / D11 / 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 | D11 Energy, incl. underwater noise |
Member State | Latvia |
Region/subregion | Baltic Sea |
Reported by | Latvian Institute of Aquatic Ecology |
Report date | 2021-06-09 |
Report access |
Descriptor |
D11 |
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Monitoring strategy description |
1. For LV-4.11.1 it is planned to deploy hydrophones in strategic locations
2. For LV-4.11.2. it is planned to deploy 2 hydrophones at strategically chosen locations. The data shall be used to support joint effort at modeling of sound pollution spatial distribution. |
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Coverage of GES criteria |
Adequate monitoring will be in place by 2024 |
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Gaps and plans |
The monitoring programs are not operational yet. It is planned to initiate them by 2024. |
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Related targets |
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Coverage of targets |
Adequate monitoring will be in place by 2024 |
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Related measures |
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Coverage of measures |
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Related monitoring programmes |
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Programme code |
LV-4.11.1. (D11C1) |
LV-4.11.2. (D11C2) |
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Programme name |
Impulsive underwater noise distribution, frequency and levels |
Continuous low frequency underwater noise distribution, frequency and levels |
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Update type |
New programme |
New programme |
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Old programme codes |
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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 with the human-induced impulsive underwater noise and environmental impact of it by observing spatial distribution, level and duration of noise caused by anthropogenic activities in sea.
Currently no fully coordinated monitoring of underwater noise exists in the HELCOM region. Monitoring Programme is "Underwater noise", sub-programme "Impulsive noise". The monitoring of this programme is partly coordinated. Missing component is regionally coordinated monitoring guidelines. The programme supports the assessment of temporal trends and spatial distribution.
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. |
The purpose of the monitoring is to assess the ecological status of the Baltic Sea including one of the environmental status components pollution with the human-induced continuous underwater noise and environmental impact of it by observing spatial distribution, level and duration of noise caused by anthropogenic activities in sea.
In the HELCOM region this monitoring is performed in the frame of programme "Continuous noise", under the sub-programme "Ambient noise". The monitoring of this programme is partly coordinated; missing component(s) lack of an assessment system and thresholds for D10C2. The programme supports the assessment of temporal trends and spatial distribution.
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. |
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Monitoring purpose |
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Other policies and conventions |
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Regional cooperation - coordinating body |
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Regional cooperation - countries involved |
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Regional cooperation - implementation level |
Coordinated data collection |
Coordinated data collection |
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Monitoring details |
At HELCOM level: there is currently a regionally organized registry of impulsive events in the Baltic Sea region. The registry is hosted by ICES and the development of the registry follows the same approach as for the OSPAR region. Such registry makes an account of the number of days with selected activities that create impulsive sounds that can be harmful for marine animals and make it possible to evaluate cumulative impacts of noise.
The registry of impulsive events requires information on e.g. position data of the activity, licensing block/area, date of operation, source operation, sound mitigation system. The registry is implemented as a GIS-based tool where sound levels of events (or proxies for sound level, such as air gun array size and hydraulic hammer energy) are stored and a map visualisation is enabled.
At national level: anthropogenic activities at sea (e.g. construction) during the implementation of which sound impulses may arise are shall be approved by the responsible supervisory authorities, including providing of adequate monitoring by the operator. The results of the monitoring shall be submitted to the State Environmental Service of the Republic of Latvia (SES) and the results shall be available for the assessment of the environmental state of affected areas. |
In one to two places (the Gulf of Riga and the Baltic Sea), hydrophones are placed, recording the intensity of continuous low-frequency sound. The information obtained is used for common (in Baltic Sea scale) sound distribution modelling. |
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Features |
Impulsive sound in water
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Input of anthropogenic sound (impulsive, continuous)
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Input of anthropogenic sound (impulsive, continuous)
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Continuous low frequency sound
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Elements |
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GES criteria |
D11C1 |
D11C1 |
D11C1 |
D11C2 |
Parameters |
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Parameter Other |
Spatial distribution |
Spatial distribution |
Spatial distribution |
Duration, spatial distribution |
Spatial scope |
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Marine reporting units |
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Temporal scope (start date - end date) |
9999-9999 |
2021-2026 |
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Monitoring frequency |
Unknown |
Continually |
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Monitoring type |
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Monitoring method |
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Monitoring method other |
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Quality control |
QA/QC procedures - no
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QA/QC procedures - no
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Data management |
Data holder will be State Environmental Service of the Republic of Latvia (SES).
QC procedures for data no.
Data will be available in SES. |
Data holder is Latvian Institute of Aquatic Ecology (LIAE).
QC procedures for data no.
Data are available in LIAE. |
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Data access |
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Related indicator/name |
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Contact |
State Environmental Service of the Republic of Latvia (SES): |
Latvian Institute of Aquatic Ecology
e-mail: juris.aigars@lhei.lv |
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References |
HELCM Progress in implementing the Regional Baltic Underwater Noise Roadmap 2015-2017:
https://portal.helcom.fi/meetings/PRESSURE%2010-2019-549/MeetingDocuments/4-1%20Progress%20in%20implementing%20the%20Regional%20Baltic%20Underwater%20Noise%20Roadmap%202015-2017.pdf
and
https://helcom.fi/action-areas/monitoring-and-assessment/monitoring-manual/underwater-noise/ |