Member State report / Art11 / 2020 / D1-B / Latvia / Baltic 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 Latvia
Region/subregion Baltic Sea
Reported by Latvian Institute of Aquatic Ecology
Report date 2021-06-09
Report access

Descriptor
D1.1
Monitoring strategy description
The section addresses state (number and distribution of wintering birds). The full survey is planned once every 6 years in coordination with other Baltic Sea states. In addition, annually "index" surveys are planned to obtain an estimate of long term inter-annual variation of wintering bird populations. Pressure and impact are monitored under other sub-programs.
Coverage of GES criteria
Adequate monitoring was in place by 2018
Gaps and plans
none
Related targets
  • JVM1
Coverage of targets
Adequate monitoring was in place by 2018
Related measures
Coverage of measures
Related monitoring programmes
  • LV-4.1.1.2.1. (D1C2)
Programme code
LV-4.1.1.2.1. (D1C2)
Programme name
Mobile species distribution, abundance and/or biomass (wintering seabirds)
Update type
New programme
Old programme codes
Programme description
The purpose of the monitoring is to assess the ecological status of the Baltic Sea, including one of the environmental status components biodiversity by observing abundance and distribution of wintering seabirds as well as changes in the composition, number and distribution of bird species occurring in the marine territories of Latvia, as well as to identify and predict the trends of these changes. The programme supports the assessment of temporal trends and spatial distribution. Corresponding HELCOM monitoring programme Birds and sub-programme "Marine wintering birds abundance and distribution". At present monitoring of birds is partly coordinated in HELCOM and the information presented in the Monitoring Manual is based on national monitoring programmes. The requirements for the marine waters of Latvia and the relationship of the specified environmental objectives with the qualitative characteristics characterizing the state of the marine environment are included in Regulation of the Cabinet of Ministers of Republic of Latvia No. 1071 of 23 November 2010, Requirements for the Assessment of the State of the Marine Environment, the Determination of Good Environmental State of the Sea and Development of Marine Environmental Goals. Corresponding legislative act of the Republic of Latvia: Law On the Conservation of Species and Biotopes (adopted 16.03.2000); Republic of Latvia Cabinet Regulation No. 17 (adopted 5 January 2010) Regulations Regarding Protected Marine Territories.
Monitoring purpose
  • Environmental state and impacts
Other policies and conventions
  • Birds Directive
  • Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (Bonn Convention)
  • HELCOM Monitoring programmes
  • Habitats Directive
Regional cooperation - coordinating body
  • HELCOM
Regional cooperation - countries involved
Regional cooperation - implementation level
Coordinated data collection
Monitoring details
Monitoring of wintering marine birds is performed by aerial surveillance in transects in the whole marine aquatory in the territorial waters of Latvia. Used transects 3 km in shallow zones or every 6 km in deep zones. Monitored parameters - the abundance of species as well as the number and density of individuals identified for each species. Two types of surveys are used for the population size and annual population variability data. First full account is intended to assess the size of wintering marine bird populations and primarily are performed together with other HELCOM region states in the years when coordinated inventory takes place in the Baltic sea, but not less than once in a six years. Second in all other years, so-called index assessment is carried out in order to obtain data on annual variations in populations of wintering water birds.
Features
Benthic-feeding birds
Grazing birds
Pelagic-feeding birds
Surface-feeding birds
Elements
  • Clangula hyemalis
  • Gavia arctica
  • Gavia stellata
  • Melanitta fusca
  • Polysticta stelleri
  • Cygnus columbianus
  • Alca torda
  • Gavia arctica
  • Gavia stellata
  • Mergus merganser
  • Podiceps cristatus
  • Hydrocoloeus minutus
  • Larus argentatus
  • Larus canus
  • Larus marinus
GES criteria
D1C2
D1C2
D1C2
D1C2
Parameters
  • Abundance (number of individuals)
  • Abundance (number of individuals)
  • Abundance (number of individuals)
  • Abundance (number of individuals)
Parameter Other
Spatial scope
  • Coastal waters (WFD)
  • Terrestrial part of MS
  • Territorial waters
Marine reporting units
  • BAL-LV-AAA-007
  • BAL-LV-AAA-009
Temporal scope (start date - end date)
2021-2026
Monitoring frequency
Yearly
Monitoring type
  • Remote flight imagery
Monitoring method
  • HELCOM Guidelines for coordinated monitoring of wintering birds
Monitoring method other
Quality control
QA/QC procedures no
Data management
Data holder is Nature Conservation Agency of Latvia (NCA) QA/QC on data no. Data are available in NCA.
Data access
Related indicator/name
Contact
Nature Conservation Agency of Latvia (NCA)
References