GES not determined at sub-regional level as laid down in Article 3 (5) (b) of the MSFD. In the framework of the Article 8 assessment it was considered that GES will be reached if less than 10 % of the samples do not present concentrations for contaminants exceeding the values set by Regulation (EC) No 1881/2006 19 December and Regulation (EC) No 629/2008 (EC) on 2 July in the assessment area. Since the data set for evaluation was considered insufficient, GES was considered unknown for the subdivision of the Azores.

The level of contaminants in edible tissues (muscle, liver, eggs, meat or other soft parts, where appropriate) of marine organisms (including fish, crustaceans, molluscs, echinoderms, algae and other marine plants) caught or harvested in the wild (except finfish from mariculture) is not higher than the maximum levels laid down in Regulation (EC) No 1881/2006.

GES not determined at sub-regional level as laid down in Article 3 (5) (b) of the MSFD. Assessment under Art. 8 based on the level of risk, considering that the level of risk is low and GES is achieved.