Member State report / Art8-2024 / 2024 / D11 / Netherlands / NE Atlantic: Greater North Sea

Report type Member State report to Commission
MSFD Article Art8
Report due 2024-10-15
GES Descriptor D11 Energy, incl. underwater noise
Member State Netherlands
Region/subregion NE Atlantic: Greater North Sea
Report date 2026-04-10 12:40:24

Nederlands Continentaal Plat vanaf de basislijn (0 mijl) (ANS-NL-MS-1)

Regional assessment area
distribution-reported-impulsive-sounds-sea-qsr23-ospar-II
OSPAR-Greater North Sea
OSPAR-Greater North Sea
Component MRUs
GES component
D11
D11
D11
Feature
Impulsive sound in water
Continuous low frequency sound
Continuous low frequency sound
Element
Continuous sound (1/3 octave frequency band centred on 125 Hz)
Continuous sound (1/3 octave frequency band centred on 63 Hz)
Element extent
Trend element
Unknown
Unknown
Element 2
Element source
Other
Other
Criterion
D11C1
D11C2
D11C2
Parameter
Duration
Underwater sound level
Underwater sound level
Threshold value upper
Threshold value lower
Threshold value operator
Threshold qualitative
No threshold values ​​have yet been determined, so for the time being the assessment is based on expert judgment.
Threshold value source
Value achieved upper
1.5242
Value achieved lower
Value unit
index
Proportion threshold value
Proportion value achieved
90.0
Proportion threshold value unit
% area of MRU achieving threshold value
Trend parameter
Unknown
Unknown
Unknown
Parameter achieved
Yes
No
No
Description parameter
The Netherlands reports on the basis of the OSPAR assessment (QSR2023) Risk of Impact from Anthropogenic Impulsive Sound, in which the degree of impact has been calculated for each ICES sub-grid cell (years 2015-2019). A total of 185 ICES sub-grid cells are located in the Dutch part of the North Sea (valueAchieved between 0 and 1,5). Based on a preliminary expert assessment, ICES sub-grid- cells with a calculated disturbance value greater 0.89 (based on worst case) have been assessed as not compliant. Based on this preliminary estimate, it appears that approximately 90% of the surface of the Dutch North Sea is compliant with regard to impulsive noise. The calculation took into account that a number of ICES sub-grid-cells partly overlap with the Dutch part of the North Sea and that the part outside Dutch waters should not be included in the assessment. The disturbance values calculated by OSPAR at the level of sub-grid-cells are available via: https://odims.ospar.org/public/submissions/noise/risk-noise-msfd/2022-06/001/ospar_risk_noise_msfd_2022_06_001-other-risk-of-impact_assessment_impulsive_noise_msfd.xlsx
Ship noise is the dominant source of continuous sound in the North Sea. This source causes an increase of 20 dB above the natural sound level in the southern part of the North Sea and along the major shipping lanes. The sound level is lowest on Dogger Bank. The indicator needs further development and the assessment results still have a provisional status. However, the assessment results justify the conclusion that the status in the Dutch part of the North Sea does not meet good environmental status.
Ship noise is the dominant source of continuous sound in the North Sea. This source causes an increase of 20 dB above the natural sound level in the southern part of the North Sea and along the major shipping lanes. The sound level is lowest on Dogger Bank. The indicator needs further development and the assessment results still have a provisional status. However, the assessment results justify the conclusion that the status in the Dutch part of the North Sea does not meet good environmental status.
Related indicator
  • risk-impact-anthropogenic-sound-qsr23-ospar
  • NL-OSPAR_Pilot Assessment of Ambient Noise
  • NL-OSPAR_Pilot Assessment of Ambient Noise
Criteria status
Good
Not good
Not good
Description criteria
The OSPAR analysis shows that throughout the North Sea, seismic surveys are the most dominant source of impulsive sound. There was (only) one seismic survey carried out in the Dutch part of the North Sea during the assessment period. In addition, pile driving for wind farm construction and munitions clearance caused impulsive noise. Based on expert judgement, the Netherlands concludes that the current state meets good environmental status. This assessment is supported by comparing the calculated risks of disturbance to porpoises with the stipulation for pile-driving activities for Offshore Wind Energy. The latter, which is much stricter than the European threshold, has been amply met.
Ship noise is the dominant source of continuous sound in the North Sea. This source causes an increase of 20 dB above the natural sound level in the southern part of the North Sea and along the major shipping lanes. The sound level is lowest on Dogger Bank. The indicator needs further development and the assessment results still have a provisional status. However, the assessment results justify the conclusion that the status in the Dutch part of the North Sea does not meet good environmental status.
Ship noise is the dominant source of continuous sound in the North Sea. This source causes an increase of 20 dB above the natural sound level in the southern part of the North Sea and along the major shipping lanes. The sound level is lowest on Dogger Bank. The indicator needs further development and the assessment results still have a provisional status. However, the assessment results justify the conclusion that the status in the Dutch part of the North Sea does not meet good environmental status.
Element status
Not good
Not good
Description element
Source assessment feature
  • OSPAR
  • OSPAR
  • OSPAR
Reporting method feature
Type D
Type A
Type A
Trend feature
Unknown
Unknown
Unknown
Integration rule type parameter
Not relevant
Not relevant
Not relevant
Integration rule description parameter
Integration rule type criteria
Not relevant
Not relevant
Not relevant
Integration rule description criteria
GES extent threshold
GES extent achieved
89.70
GES extent unit
Proportion of area in good status
Proportion of area in good status
Proportion of area in good status
GES achieved
GES achieved by 2024
GES later than 2024, Art14ExceptionNotReported
GES later than 2024, Art14ExceptionNotReported
Description overall status
The Netherlands uses the OSPAR assessment of the Risk-of-impact indicator for the years 2015-2019. OSPAR reports the ‘risk of impact index’ value, that is equal to log10(average_#HPDD). The average_#HPDDs is the average number of PBDs multiplied by the number of harbour porpoises in that block. HPDD=harbour porpoise disturbance day . PBD=pulse block day. Based on the KEC approach of The Netherlands a total number of HPDD of 2 000 000 for the Dutch Continental Shelf is considered acceptable. This value corresponds to a HPDD of 14 085 per ICES subrectangle, which corresponds to an index value of 0.89.
Although results are still preliminary and OSPAR does not use a threshold value, it is very likely that good environmental status has not been achieved in the Dutch part of the North Sea.
Although results are still preliminary and OSPAR does not use a threshold value, it is very likely that good environmental status has not been achieved in the Dutch part of the North Sea.
Assessments period
2015-2019
2019
2019
Related pressures
  • Input of anthropogenic sound (impulsive, continuous)
  • Input of anthropogenic sound (impulsive, continuous)
  • Input of anthropogenic sound (impulsive, continuous)
Related targets
  • ANSNL-D11-T11.1
  • ANSNL-D11-T11.2
  • ANSNL-D11-T11.3
  • ANSNL-D11-T11.4
  • ANSNL-D11T2
  • ANSNL-D11-T11.1
  • ANSNL-D11-T11.2
  • ANSNL-D11-T11.3
  • ANSNL-D11-T11.4
  • ANSNL-D11T2
  • ANSNL-D11-T11.1
  • ANSNL-D11-T11.2
  • ANSNL-D11-T11.3
  • ANSNL-D11-T11.4
  • ANSNL-D11T2
Test TV
NA
NA
NA
Test results
False
False
False