Member State report / Art11 / 2020 / D1-B / Belgium / NE Atlantic: Greater North Sea

Report type Member State report to Commission
MSFD Article Art. 11 Monitoring programmes (and Art. 17 updates)
Report due 2020-10-15
GES Descriptor D1 Birds
Member State Belgium
Region/subregion NE Atlantic: Greater North Sea
Reported by FPS Science Policy, Management Unit of the North Sea Mathematical Models (Scientific Service MUMM, R
Report date 2020-10-29
Report access

Descriptor
D1.1
Monitoring strategy description
The monitoring focuses on yearly data collection of breeding bird numbers along the Belgian coast and standardized ship-based measurements of densities of focal seabirds at sea. The methodology to collect the at sea data and to assess the quality follow the protocol of European Seabirds at Sea Group (ESAS standards).
Coverage of GES criteria
Adequate monitoring was in place in 2014
Gaps and plans
Monitoring of seabirds at sea does not follow a standardized trajectory, but rather depends on data input of ad-hoc studies (e.g. WinMon programme in relation to monitoring the effects of offshore windfarm developments).
Related targets
  • D1.T3
  • D1.T5
Coverage of targets
Adequate monitoring was in place in 2014
Related measures
  • 1 - 'Report on Environmental Impacts (REI) and Adapted Evaluation (AE)'
  • 2 - 'Definition targets to maintain MPAs. Development of the policy and management plans for the MPAs and their associated measures'
  • 3A - 'Zoning: Delimitation of a suitable area for the construction of wind farms'
  • 7A - 'Ban on high speed ship traffic and exercises with helicopters at less than 500 feet in the SPA-O1 and SPA-O2 from 1 December to 15 March'
  • 7B - 'Ban on marine sport competition in SPA-01 and SPA-02'
  • 7C - 'Ban of certain activities in the special protection areas: civil construction, industrial activities, and commercial and advertising company activities'
Coverage of measures
Adequate monitoring was in place in 2014
Related monitoring programmes
  • ANSBE-P1-Birds-1-breeding
  • ANSBE-P2-Birds-2-at-sea
Programme code
ANSBE-P1-Birds-1-breeding
ANSBE-P2-Birds-2-at-sea
Programme name
Breeding Seabirds in Belgium
Belgian Seabirds at Sea
Update type
Modified from 2014
Modified from 2014
Old programme codes
  • ANSBE-D1-4-Birds-SP1
  • ANSBE-D1-4-Birds-SP2
Programme description
Since 1997 INBO counts the number of nesting gulls and terns at the major colonies along the Belgian coast. Furthermore, INBO collects data gathered by volunteers on the population development in other coastal breeding sites. This research will render data for the environmental target "Changes in breeding seabird abundance remain within target limits for 75% of the species monitored, and will contribute in the assessment of this Ecological Quality Objective (EcoQO) for OSPAR region II (environmental target D1.5). Belgium cannot assess this target on its own. Belgium merely renders data that feeds into the wider assessment of the OSPAR EcoQO. The ICES WGSE could analyse the data and report annually to OSPAR on whether or not the EcoQO has been achieved (OSPAR 2012). (Former programme ANSBE-D1-4-Birds-SP1)
Since 1992 INBO conducts ship-based seabird counts following a standardized method for counting. Until present, the counts are performed from ships of opportunity or were part of specific research projects, so that no fixed monitoring routes or regular survey intervals were followed. The current monitoring to study the effects of offshore wind farms (WinMon) follows a sound research setup (2005-present), but does not cover the entire BDNZ. The WinMon counts, reference counts, and counts during the trajectory from the coast to the wind farms and back will be used to evaluate environmental target D1.3. (Former programme ANSBE-Birds-2-at sea)
Monitoring purpose
  • Environmental state and impacts
  • Environmental state and impacts
  • Pressures in the marine environment
Other policies and conventions
  • Birds Directive
  • OSPAR Coordinated Environmental Monitoring Programme
  • Birds Directive
  • Monitoring programme targeting at national legislation
  • OSPAR Coordinated Environmental Monitoring Programme
Regional cooperation - coordinating body
  • OSPAR
  • OSPAR
Regional cooperation - countries involved
Regional cooperation - implementation level
Agreed data collection methods
Coordinated data collection
Monitoring details
Not relevant
Features
Benthic-feeding birds
Pelagic-feeding birds
Surface-feeding birds
Wading birds
Benthic-feeding birds
Pelagic-feeding birds
Surface-feeding birds
Wading birds
Benthic-feeding birds
Pelagic-feeding birds
Surface-feeding birds
Wading birds
Elements
  • Benthic-feeding birds (grouped)
  • Pelagic-feeding birds (grouped)
  • Surface-feeding birds (grouped)
  • Wading birds (grouped)
  • Benthic-feeding birds (grouped)
  • Pelagic-feeding birds (grouped)
  • Surface-feeding birds (grouped)
  • Wading birds (grouped)
  • Benthic-feeding birds (grouped)
  • Pelagic-feeding birds (grouped)
  • Surface-feeding birds (grouped)
  • Wading birds (grouped)
GES criteria
D1C2
D1C2
D1C2
D1C2
D1C3
D1C3
D1C3
D1C3
D1C2
D1C2
D1C2
D1C2
Parameters
  • Abundance (number of individuals)
  • Biomass
  • Abundance (number of individuals)
  • Biomass
  • Abundance (number of individuals)
  • Biomass
  • Abundance (number of individuals)
  • Biomass
  • Breeding success
  • Breeding success
  • Breeding success
  • Breeding success
  • Abundance (number of individuals)
  • Abundance (number of individuals)
  • Abundance (number of individuals)
  • Abundance (number of individuals)
Parameter Other
Spatial scope
  • Terrestrial part of MS
  • Coastal waters (WFD)
  • EEZ (or similar)
  • Territorial waters
Marine reporting units
  • ANS-BE-MS-1
  • ANS-BE-MS-1
Temporal scope (start date - end date)
1997-9999
2005-9999
Monitoring frequency
Yearly
Monthly
Monitoring type
  • In-situ sampling land/beach
  • In-situ sampling coastal
  • In-situ sampling offshore
Monitoring method
  • Other monitoring method
  • Other monitoring method
Monitoring method other
In the port of Zeebrugge all nests containing one or more eggs are counted. The data on other coastal breeding sites are (sometimes rough) estimates of the number of breeding pairs.
Tasker et al. (1984), Protocol European Seabirds at Sea (ESAS)
Quality control
No Validation
DelayedValidation
Data management
The data is transmitted annually via BMDC's Data Tracking System, which makes it publicly accessible via RBINS' metadata catalogue (http://metadata.naturalsciences.be).
The data is transmitted annually via BMDC's Data Tracking System, which makes it publicly accessible via RBINS' metadata catalogue (http://metadata.naturalsciences.be).
Data access
Related indicator/name
Contact
Eric Stienen, Research Institute for Nature and Forest (INBO)
Eric Stienen, Research Institute for Nature and Forest (INBO)
References