MS/Art9/2012/D8/Mediterranean

Member State report / Art9 / 2012 / D8 / Mediterranean

Report type	Member State report to Commission
MSFD Article	Art. 9 Determination of GES (and Art. 17 updates)
Report due	2012-10-15
GES Descriptor	D8 Contaminants
Region/subregion	Mediterranean
Reported by	Member state

Member state		UK (https://water.europa.eu/marine/assessment-module/national-descriptors-assessments/uk/mwe/d8/art9/@@view-report-data-2012)	ES (https://water.europa.eu/marine/assessment-module/national-descriptors-assessments/es/mwe/d8/art9/@@view-report-data-2012)	FR (https://water.europa.eu/marine/assessment-module/national-descriptors-assessments/fr/mwe/d8/art9/@@view-report-data-2012)	IT (https://water.europa.eu/marine/assessment-module/national-descriptors-assessments/it/mwe/d8/art9/@@view-report-data-2012, https://water.europa.eu/marine/assessment-module/national-descriptors-assessments/it/mad/d8/art9/@@view-report-data-2012, https://water.europa.eu/marine/assessment-module/national-descriptors-assessments/it/mic/d8/art9/@@view-report-data-2012)	MT (https://water.europa.eu/marine/assessment-module/national-descriptors-assessments/mt/mic/d8/art9/@@view-report-data-2012)	SI (https://water.europa.eu/marine/assessment-module/national-descriptors-assessments/si/mad/d8/art9/@@view-report-data-2012)	HR (https://water.europa.eu/marine/assessment-module/national-descriptors-assessments/hr/mad/d8/art9/@@view-report-data-2012)	EL (https://water.europa.eu/marine/assessment-module/national-descriptors-assessments/el/mad/d8/art9/@@view-report-data-2012, https://water.europa.eu/marine/assessment-module/national-descriptors-assessments/el/mic/d8/art9/@@view-report-data-2012, https://water.europa.eu/marine/assessment-module/national-descriptors-assessments/el/mal/d8/art9/@@view-report-data-2012)	CY (https://water.europa.eu/marine/assessment-module/national-descriptors-assessments/cy/mal/d8/art9/@@view-report-data-2012)
Marine reporting units	Number used	0	25	1	168	0	5	7	8	1
Features	Pressures		IntroNonSynthSubst (4) IntroSynthComp (4) Litter (2)	IntroHazSubstOther (3) IntroNonSynthSubst (3) IntroRadioNuclides (3) IntroSynthComp (3) Litter (1)			IntroHazSubstOther (6) Litter (4)		IntroHazSubstOther (15) IntroNonSynthSubst (15) IntroRadioNuclides (15) IntroSynthComp (15) Litter (3)	Litter (1)
GES description	D8 Contaminants		El buen estado ambiental que se propone para este descriptor corresponde con los criterios internacionales de calidad ambiental, bien derivados de la legislación vigente o de los propuestos a nivel regional por los convenios internacionales. Por tanto, el buen estado ambiental de un ecosistema marino para el descriptor 8 se alcanzará si no supera estos valores de referencia en una amplia mayoría de los casos. Por tanto, un área presenta un BEA si no supera los niveles establecidos hasta un determinado valor umbral, y si las tendencias temporales son decrecientes o permanecen estables con concentraciones próximas a los niveles basales de la demarcación. Se sugiere el establecimiento de un valor umbral para la proporción de casos que deberían estar por debajo del T1, que permita establecer si se alcanza o no el BEA para una demarcación. Teniendo en cuenta que es la primera vez que se realiza este tipo de integración con valores de distinta naturaleza, químicos y biológicos, se propone utilizar un valor umbral inicial del 95% casos sin riesgo (< T1). Este valor deberá ser revisado, discutido y consensuado con posterioridad, para establecer un mismo criterio a nivel europeo o regional.	Good environmental status is achieved when the following conditions are cumulatively met : - the concentrations of contaminants for which a threshold is available (environmental quality standard, as defined in the Order of 25 January 2010 on methods and criteria for assessing the ecological status, chemical status and ecological potential of surface waters or environmental assessment criteria defined by the OSPAR Convention) do not exceed these thresholds; - concentrations in biota do not increase over time; - concentrations in top predators do not increase over time; - the considered effects of the contaminants are deemed insignificant.			Good environmental status of the marine environment in terms of pollution is achieved when concentrations of pollutants do not cause adverse effects on organisms, populations, communities or ecosystems.		In order to achieve GES in the marine environment according to descriptor 8, it is needed to gradually reduce the concentrations of hazardous substances (HS) and try to restrict their adverse impacts to ensure there will no be major risks entailed. In the initial assessment, there are 3 groups of substances examined in water, sediments and organisms: • Synthetic: PAHs, PCBs, DDTs and Drins • Non-synthetic: metals (Cd, Pb, Cu, Zn, Hg), and petroleum hydrocarbons • Radionuclides: 137 Cs According to initial assessment, HS concentrations in the marine environment have generally decerased compared to those of the past, and a stable trend has recently been observed. However, there are still hot spots, mainly in coastal areas and enclosed gulfs where contaminant concentrations are occasionally high. Patraikos Gulf and Korinthiakos Gulf are areas where metals occasionally exceed maximum set values according to criteria. Anthropogenic activities are usually intense in such areas (urban agglomerations, industrial activity, mining, waste discharge). However, It is estimated that only a proportion of 1-5% of the subregion is not in GES. The fact that there are areas where background concentrations are increased due to the geological substarte must be taken into consideration when assessing GES. Concerning acute pollution events, although they lead to concentrations exceeding maximum allowed concentrations, their occurence is restricted and impact is not highly extensive. However, to achieve GES such events should be minimised.	The marine environment of Cyprus is considered to be in good environmental status by the year 2020 if the concentrations of contaminants are at levels not giving rise to pollution effects.
GES description	D8C1 Contaminants in environment (8.1, 8.1.1)				Contaminants: Considering single samples, the GES is reached when, for each defined contaminant group (except radionuclides), the chemical concentrations (indexed and integrated for each contaminant group), according to the legislation and International references, are lower than the Environmental Quality Standards (EQS) applied under the WFD. Taking into account the whole Assessment Area (AA), the GES is reached when at least the 70% of the useful surface (for data coverage) complies with the conditions above. When these latter are satisfied for all the AAs of the subregion, the GES is reached in the whole subregion. RADIONUCLIDES: Concentrations of 137Cs and 210Po in water and sediment are below the levels producing an incremental dose rate to reference organisms equal or higher than the Predicted No Effect Dose Rate. Trends in concentrations of radionuclides in th relevant matrices are within acceptable limits and declining.		For seawater, we use the environmental standards from the Surface Water Status Regulation (URL 14/2009). There are no established environmental standards for sediment. For seawater, limit values are set in the relevant directives and regulations. The criterion for sediments (until the new directive enters into force) would be that synthetic pollutants do not exceed values that can cause irreversible effects on organisms, or. that non-synthetic pollutants do not deviate significantly from natural values in the environment. The criterion can also be a non-increasing trend of pollutant concentrations. For organisms, the limit values in the relevant EU regulations are applicable to GES.		To achieve GES, hazardous substances should be kept at low levels and ultimately reach background values or zero. Therefore, the concentrations and impacts of hazardous substances are evaluated according to threshold values (limit reference points) suggested.
GES description	D8C2 Adverse effects of contaminants (8.2, 8.2.1)				Contaminants: Considering the single sample, for each defined contaminant group, the variations in terms of bioaccumulation and biological effects (biomarkers), compared to their respective controls and thresholds, are not significant. In addition, the control organisms must come from areas that comply with the GES in terms of chemical concentrations. Taking into account the Assessment Area (AA), the GES is reached when at least 50% of the surface covered by data complies with the conditions above. When this condition is fulfilled for all the AA of the subregion, the GES is reached in the whole subregion. RADIONUCLIDES: The marine ecosystem is protected from effects on its structure and function from chronic exposure to radionuclides. The incremental dose rate deriving from human activities to reference organisms (from external and internal irradiation) is below or equal to the Predicted No Effect Dose Rate (PNEDR).		The state of this descriptor is based on knowledge of BC (background concnentrations) and on the criteria for background evaluation (BAC Background Assessment Criteria) and EAC (Environmental Assessment Criteria), a fall below this value means a deterioration in the environment. The basal activities of an individual biomarker are determined for only some biomarkers according to the geographical region.		Concentration of contaminants in seabed habitat/biota
GES description	D8C3 Significant acute pollution events (8.2.2)
GES description	D8C4 Adverse effects of significant pollution events (8.2.2)
Threshold values	% of criteria with values (no. of criteria)	0.0% (0)	100.0% (2)	0.0% (1)	100.0% (22)	0.0% (0)	100.0% (3)	0.0% (0)	100.0% (9)	0.0% (1)
Proportion of area to achieve threshold values	% of criteria with values (range of values reported)	0.0% (0 - 0)	0.0% (0 - 0)	0.0% (0 - 0)	0.0% (0 - 0)	0.0% (0 - 0)	100.0% (-8888 - -8888)	0.0% (0 - 0)	66.7% (5% - 5%)	0.0% (0 - 0)