Underwater noise is at a level that does not adversely affects species.

Good environmental status shall be achieved when "(1) the sound budget of the German North Sea does not adversely affect the living conditions of the animals concerned. Therefore all human noise generating activities must not have a significant impact on the North Sea marine environment. (2) the light input does not adversely affect marine species . (3) the emission of electromagnetic fields does not adversely affect the movement or sense of orientation of marine organisms. This is currently assumed to be achieved if at direct current the values measured at the sediment surface do not exceed the strength of the earth's magnetic field. (4) the increase in temperature does not give rise to negative effects on the marine environment.

For the assessment of GES for underwater noise, the following criteria are used in Commission Decision (EU) 2017/848: D11C1, D11C2.

Explanation: Germany does not update the general description of good environmental status (GES) from 2012 at descriptor level in this reporting exercise. In the reporting period, Germany has worked with the North Seas countries in the framework of the EU MSFD and OSPAR to develop methodological standards (indicators, evaluation procedures). Specific aspects of criteria and indicators that contribute to a quantitative assessment of good environmental status are reported in the reporting scheme Art. 8_GES. For the assessment of the criteria in Commission Decision (EU) 2017/848 under Article 8_GES, assessments under other EU directives are taken into account where relevant. Where possible, regional assessments that have been agreed so far are taken into account and complemented by national assessments on a case by case basis.

The spatial distribution, temporal extension and levels of impulsive and continuous low-frequency sound sources, of anthropogenic origin, do not exceed levels that adversely affect populations of marine animals.

Considering the lack of available data and the lack of defined thresholds at Member State level for impulse noise levels (D11C1) or low frequency continuous noise (D11C2), it is not possible to determine the Good Environmental State of Descriptor 11.


D11C1 - The spatial distribution, the temporal extension and the levels of anthropogenic impulsive sound sources do not exceed the levels that adversely affect the populations of marine animals.

D11C2- The spatial distribution, the temporal extension and the levels of the sources of low-frequency continuous anthropogenic noise do not exceed the levels likely to adversely affect marine animal populations.


GES not determined at sub-region level as laid down in Article 3 (5) (b) of the MSFD.


GES not determined at sub-region level as laid down in Article 3 (5) (b) of the MSFD. The assessment under Article 8 was based on the level of risk, considering that if the level of risk is low, given the absence of anthropogenic activities, GES is achieved.

The spatial distribution, temporal extent, and levels of man-made impulse sounds do not exceed levels that negatively affect populations of marine animals.

Spatial distribution, duration and noise levels of loud impulsive sources are such that direct and indirect effects of loud impulsive noise cannot jeopardize the favorable conservation status of species.

The spatial distribution, the temporal extent and the level of sources of anthropogenic impulsive noise are not higher than the levels at which populations of marine animals are harmed.

The spatial distribution, temporal extent and levels of anthropogenic impulsive sound sources do not exceed levels harmful to marine animal populations (Decision 2017/848/EU).

The spatial distribution, temporal extent, and levels of man-made sustained low-frequency sound do not exceed levels that negatively affect marine animal populations.

The spatial distribution, the temporal extent and the level of anthropogenic continuous low-frequency noise are no higher than the levels at which marine animal populations are harmed.

The spatial distribution, temporal extent and level of anthropogenic continuous sound do not exceed levels harmful to marine animal populations (Decision 2017/848/EU).

D11: There are no thresholds yet for which levels of underwater noise are compatible with good environmental conditions, either nationally or internationally.


D11C1: There are no thresholds yet for which levels of underwater noise are compatible with good environmental conditions, either nationally or internationally.


D11C2: There are no thresholds yet for which levels of underwater noise are compatible with good environmental conditions, either nationally or internationally.

D11: During the reporting period, regional cooperation focused on the development of methodological standards to assess the various aspects of stress and resilience on the basis of Commission Decision 2010/477/EU. The vast majority of OSPAR regional cooperation has failed to agree thresholds for these indicators which would allow making quantitative) statements about the state of the pressures concerned or the ecosystem components. Commission Decision (EU) 2017/848 gives, for the first time, an explicit obligation for EU Member States to agree on evaluation elements, thresholds and integration rules in the framework of the EU MSFD (for underwater noise through TG Noise) and through regional or subregional cooperation. Germany is actively working with the North Seas countries in the framework of the ongoing EU MSFD work programmes and OSPAR bodies to establish a coordinated definition where it is still missing.

D11C1: Criterion D11C1 could not be filled in during this assessment mainly due to a lack of knowledge on the impacts of noise on ecosystems. The D11C1 indicators are not, for the time being, operational to carry out a quantitative assessment because there is no consensus on the values of the temporal and spatial thresholds at both national and European level. The threshold values of the parameters related to the D11C1 criterion will be specified following further studies, as provided for in the Ministerial Order 2019 on the definition of good environmental status of marine waters. These threshold values will relate in particular to the temporal right-of-way, expressed in number of cumulative days per mesh, and to the spatial right-of-way, expressed in number of meshes where the threshold values for temporal right-of-way are exceeded, beyond which the risk of disturbance or excess mortality of marine mammals is considered significant.



D11C2: Criterion D11C2 could not be filled in during this assessment mainly due to a lack of knowledge on the impacts of noise on ecosystems. The D11C2 indicator is not, for the time being, operational to perform a quantitative assessment because no threshold for the increase of the maximum sound level per grid cell could be established (lack of knowledge, high uncertainties, little in-situ data available). The threshold values of the parameters related to criterion D11C2 will be specified following further studies, as provided for in Ministerial Order 2019 on the definition of good environmental status of marine waters. These threshold values will relate in particular to the trend of the continuous noise level and to the spatial extent, expressed as a percentage of the marine sub-region, where the trend threshold is exceeded, beyond which the risk of masking for cetaceans is considered significant.

D11: Due to the lack of data and the fact that the threshold values have not yet been established, the definition of the Good Environmental Statement (GES) for Descriptor 11 is still in line with that established by Decision 2017/848 for the criteria for this descriptor.

D11: Thresholds for impulse and continuous noise criteria have not yet been developed under TG NOISE in cooperation with other Member States. Subregional coordination with Spain and France is already underway in the RAGES, Jonas and LIFE IP projects, and this situation is expected to be changed and thresholds are set.