Member State report / Art8 / 2018 / D5 / Portugal / NE Atlantic: Macaronesia

Report type Member State report to Commission
MSFD Article Art. 8 Initial assessment (and Art. 17 updates)
Report due 2018-10-15
GES Descriptor D5 Eutrophication
Member State Portugal
Region/subregion NE Atlantic: Macaronesia
Reported by DGRM
Report date 2021-03-03
Report access ART8_GES_PT_setembro2020.xml

Azores Subdivision (AMA-PT-SD-AZO)

GES component
D5
Feature
Eutrophication
Element
Nutrients (integrated)
Chlorophyll-a
Cyanobacterial bloom index: Cyanobacterial biomass+cyanobacteria surface accumulations
Photic limit
Dissolved oxygen
Benthic habitats - opportunistic macroalgae
Benthic habitats - macrophyte communities
Benthic habitats - macrobenthic communities
Element code
FI_Nutrients
EEA_3164-01-0
Combined_E
EEA_3111-01-1
EEA_3132-01-2
QE1-2-1
QE1-2-2
QE1-3
Element code source
Species (D1) http://www.marinespecies.org/
Link to other vocabulary or code lists that may be relevant
Undefined
Eutrophication (D5) and contaminants (D8-D9) http://dd.eionet.europa.eu/vocabulary/wise/ObservedProperty/view
Eutrophication (D5) and contaminants (D8-D9) http://dd.eionet.europa.eu/vocabulary/wise/ObservedProperty/view
Eutrophication (D5)(EQRs) http://dd.eionet.europa.eu/vocabulary/wise/ObservedPropertyBiologyEQR/view
Eutrophication (D5)(EQRs) http://dd.eionet.europa.eu/vocabulary/wise/ObservedPropertyBiologyEQR/view
Eutrophication (D5)(EQRs) http://dd.eionet.europa.eu/vocabulary/wise/ObservedPropertyBiologyEQR/view
Element 2
Element 2 code
Element 2 code source
Element source
MS in (sub)region
MS in (sub)region
MS in (sub)region
MS in (sub)region
MS in (sub)region
MS in (sub)region
MS in (sub)region
MS in (sub)region
Criterion
D5C1
D5C2
D5C3
D5C4
D5C5
D5C6
D5C7
D5C8
Parameter
Concentration in water
Concentration in water
Extent
Transparency in water
Concentration in water
Extent
Parameter other
Threshold value upper
Threshold value lower
Threshold qualitative
Qualitative assessment
Qualitative assessment
Qualitative assessment
Qualitative assessment
Qualitative assessment
Qualitative assessment
Threshold value source
Not applicable
Not applicable
Not applicable
Not applicable
Not applicable
Not applicable
Threshold value source other
Value achieved upper
Value achieved lower
Value unit
Value unit other
Proportion threshold value
Proportion value achieved
Proportion threshold value unit
Trend
Stable
Stable
Stable
Stable
Stable
Stable
Parameter achieved
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Description parameter
Underground flows in most of the islands are higher than surface run-off, accounting for 53.2 % of the total on the island of Flores, 55.0 % in Santa Maria, 67.9 % in São Miguel, 75.7 % in Terceira and 85.6 % in São Jorge. and 89.7 % in Graciosa
Higher values of chlorophyll are recorded for the northern area of the Exclusive Economic Zone surrounding the EEZ of the Azores together with the adjacent area of the extended continental shelf claimed by Portugal, i.e. between 28° and 40° N, 17° and 41° W, whereas variability has been higher in...
On the island of São Miguel, for a total of 38 samples, 22 were positive for the occurrence of PSts. 7 absorption values were thus detected above the legal threshold for two starfish species (Ophidiaster ophidianus and Marthasterias glacialis) followed by molluscs belonging to the species Stronit...
On the islands of São Miguel, Santa Maria and Terceira, it was observed that the depth values of the euphotic zone varied between 30 and 130 m, 20 m and 105 m and 53 m and 130 m respectively. In addition, values for the euphotic area of 33 m and 4 m respectively...
In the Azores, dissolved oxygen concentrations in seawater show a variation of approximately 5 to 6 ml/l (surface) to < 4 ml/l in the deep water areas, with, on the surface, a tendency to increase and decrease respectively to the north and south and south-east of the Azores. Winter a...
In the Azores, there are sites without registration of opportunistic species and the maximum figure for the average proportion of these species was 0.38 for the island of Santa Maria. 4 species of opportunistic macroalgae have been identified: Chaetomorpha pachynema, Ulva Compressa, Ulva intestin...
Related indicator
Criteria status
Good
Good
Good
Good
Good
Good
Not assessed
Not assessed
Description criteria
The Azores vary widely and seasonally in oceanographic conditions. Given the high exposure of the coasts of the Azores islands resulting from their oceanic position associated with high seas and a strong wave, as well as the great distance between them, the oligotrophic nature of marine water bod...
The concentrations of the sea chlorophyll are not particularly high in the Region of the Azores, with these low values, together with other chemical parameters, one of the indicators confirming the marine oligotrophic nature of the Azores-Madeira region. However, it is recognised that the annual ...
Not qualitatively or quantitatively assessed as they require further studies on the subject, including monitoring of the occurrence and patterns of evolution of the various toxic substances which have been identified in the meantime. However, some important aspects regarding algal blooms and the ...
The Azores being a oligotrophic region that is open in an open ocean area, the light is not a limiting factor and the occurrence of most nutrients is expected at the surface level by a dynamic process, such as an oceanic filament or a redemolition. However, the depth of the euphotic area is small...
In the Azores region, although there is a clear link between the depth and the oxygen (dissolved oxygen, apparent use of oxygen and oxygen saturation) and the nutritional parameters (nitrates, phosphates and silicates), some distinct spatial patterns have been observed, which appear to show some ...
There is, in the Azorean coastal areas in general, an ecological quality that can be considered as Good and/or Eled. Furthermore, according to all water bodies analysed, they meet the environmental requirements established by the WFD, where most of them are of high quality. [reference to: Please see attached written report]
Not applicable to the Azores. [further details and related bibliographic references are available in the written report]
In the Azores, the inter-tidal communities have a smaller variety of invertebrates associated with them compared to other regions of the Atlantic, which is probably due to the lesser extent of their inter-tidal biotopes resulting from very high wave power and high wave power. However, despite the...
Element status
Good
Good
Good
Good
Good
Good
Not assessed
Not assessed
Description element
As a result of agricultural fertiliser application on grassland, nitrogen leaching is an environmental pressure factor that negatively affects water quality in the Azores. Groundwater discharges, usually characterised by a higher concentration of nutrients, are an important element of the ocean?s...
The same increase is due to the rapid cooling of the ocean associated with the passage of storms and the resulting conds-to-water phenomena of the mixing of water bodies as well as the input of nutrients from the deeper areas of the thermoclina and the transport of phytoplanktonic cells from the ...
There is little information about phytoplankton, although there is some knowledge about algal blooms in other parts of the world, with the most common sources of nutrients corresponding to the domestic effluents, the run-off of intensive farming activity as well as the food industry?s effluents. ...
In the eiphic area (15 m), the development of a 40 registered biocenosis biocenosis in the euphotic zone has been observed after a year of exposure, but there has been a reduction in icnodiversity from the depth of 15 m due to a limitation on light availability associated with a gradual...
(2) 550-1 500 m: Variation between 75 and 96 %
Not applicable to the Azores. [further details and related bibliographic references are available in the written report]
Not assessed. [further details and related bibliographic references are available in the written report]
Integration rule type parameter
Other
Integration rule description parameter
Qualitative evaluation: No integration rules applied
Integration rule type criteria
Other
Integration rule description criteria
Qualitative evaluation: No integration rules applied
GES extent threshold
GES extent achieved
GES extent unit
GES achieved
GES achieved
Description overall status
For the assessment of Descriptor D5, the sources of information were based on the technical literature published and made available by the various official bodies as well as on scientific literature directly or indirectly related to the subject of coastal eutrophication in the Azores archipelago ...
Assessments period
2012-2018
Related pressures
  • Input of nutrients - diffuse sources, point sources, atmospheric deposition
  • Input of organic matter - diffuse sources and point sources
Related targets
  • D5-AZO-M1
  • D5-AZO-M2
  • D5-AZO-M3
  • D5-AZO-M4

Madeira subdivision (AMA-PT-SD-MAD)

GES component
D5
Feature
Eutrophication
Element
Nutrients (integrated)
Chlorophyll-a
Transparency
Dissolved oxygen
Element code
FI_Nutrients
EEA_3164-01-0
QE3-1-1
EEA_3132-01-2
Element code source
Undefined
Eutrophication (D5) and contaminants (D8-D9) http://dd.eionet.europa.eu/vocabulary/wise/ObservedProperty/view
Eutrophication (D5)(EQRs) http://dd.eionet.europa.eu/vocabulary/wise/ObservedPropertyBiologyEQR/view
Eutrophication (D5) and contaminants (D8-D9) http://dd.eionet.europa.eu/vocabulary/wise/ObservedProperty/view
Element 2
Element 2 code
Element 2 code source
Element source
MS in (sub)region
MS in (sub)region
MS in (sub)region
MS in (sub)region
Criterion
D5C1
D5C2
D5C4
D5C5
Parameter
Concentration in water
Concentration in water
Transparency in water
Concentration in water
Parameter other
Threshold value upper
10.0
5.0
2.0
6.0
Threshold value lower
Threshold qualitative
Threshold value source
Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC)
Waste Framework Directive (2008/98/EC)
National
Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC)
Threshold value source other
Value achieved upper
12.03
5.871
35.0
7.3
Value achieved lower
1.6
9.0
5.9
Value unit
micromole per litre
microgram per litre
metre
milligram per litre
Value unit other
Proportion threshold value
Proportion value achieved
Proportion threshold value unit
Trend
Unknown
Unknown
Not relevant
Unknown
Parameter achieved
Yes
Yes, based on low risk
Yes
Yes, based on low risk
Description parameter
Oxygen values are on average close to the saturation values and do not vary significantly
Related indicator
  • AMA-PT-MAD_Nutrients
  • AMA-PT-MAD_Chla
  • AMA-PT_MAD_TRA
  • AMA-PT-MAD_DO
Criteria status
Good
Good, based on low risk
Good
Good
Description criteria
Element status
Good
Good
Good
Good
Description element
Integration rule type parameter
Integration rule description parameter
Integration rule type criteria
Integration rule description criteria
GES extent threshold
GES extent achieved
100.00
GES extent unit
Proportion of area in good status
GES achieved
GES achieved
Description overall status
Existing scientific knowledge and data do not allow the use of high levels of reference and limit values. However, this assessment of the GES of D5, the Autonomous Region of Madeira (RAM) does not fully follow Commission Decision (EU) 2017/848. The thresholds do not apply to the subdivision of M...
Assessments period
2014-2018
Related pressures
  • All pressures related to inputs of substances, litter and energy
Related targets