Member State report / Art14 / 2022 / D10 / Malta / Mediterranean: Ionian Sea & Central Mediterranean Sea

Report type Member State report to Commission
MSFD Article Art. 14 Exceptions (and Art. 17 updates)
Report due 2022-10-15
GES Descriptor D10 Litter
Member State Malta
Region/subregion Mediterranean: Ionian Sea & Central Mediterranean Sea
Reported by Environment and Resources Authority
Report date 2024-02-07
Report access 363

Marine reporting units
  • MIC-MT-MS-01
Region subregion
MED Ionian Sea and Central Mediterranean Sea
Exception code
MICMT-E04
Exception old code
Exception name
Levels of litter, in particular microlitter, in the marine environment
Exception type
Art. 14(1)(a)
Exception reason
Action (e.g. environmental damage) caused by a third party for which the Member State is not responsible
GES achieved
Relevant pressures
  • Litter and micro-litter in species
  • Litter in the environment
  • Micro-litter in the environment
Relevant targets
GES component
  • D10
  • D10C1 Litter (excluding micro-litter) (10.1, 10.1.1, 10.1.2)
  • D10C2 Micro-litter (10.1, 10.1.3)
  • D10C3 Litter ingested (10.1, 10.2.1)
  • D10C4 Adverse effects of litter (10.2)
Relevant features
  • Benthic broad habitats
  • Demersal shelf fish
  • Other benthic habitats
  • Pelagic broad habitats
  • Pelagic-feeding birds
  • PresEnvBycatch
  • Small toothed cetaceans
  • Surface-feeding birds
  • Turtles
Justification description
Malta highlights the transboundary nature of marine litter and that action by all countries within the region must be considered in relation to achievement of GES for MSFD Descriptor 10. With respect to specifically addressing microlitter, Malta acknowledges the need to strengthen efforts in this regard however Malta would reiterate that addressing such issues also needs to be done in the context of regional action. Nevertheless the actions proposed with regards to reducing opportunities for leakage of litter into the marine environment through increasing education and awareness (MICMT-M082_NEW), redesigning fishing gear to address discarded or lost fishing gear (MICMT-M083_NEW), removal of litter from the marine environment (MICMT-M079_NEW and MICMT-M084_NEW) will all have a positive impact on micro-litter particularly secondary micro plastics.
Spatial scope geographic zones
EEZ (or similar)
Mitigation
Measures ad hoc
Further information
Section 3.3 https://era.org.mt/topic/msfd-programme-of-measures/