This dataset is part of the 2018 Belgian submission for the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) linked to descriptor 6, criterion 5. It comprises three datasets used to assess the sea floor integrity for ensuring a proper functioning of the ecosystem.The dataset on the study of the fauna associated with cobble fields (hard substrates) describes the gravel analysis performed in the Belgian part of the North Sea between 2015 and 2017. Information on the location, date and procedure used for the sediment sampling is provided as well as the description of species found in the samples.The occurrence of important benthic species. The status of benthic habitats (soft substrates).

The Royal Decree of 20 March 2026 establishing a marine spatial plan defines Monitoring Area Thorntonbank Art. 23. § 10.1°, Monitoring Area Gootebank Art. 23. § 10.2°, Scientific Research Zone Art. 23. § 3, Search Zone for Scientific Research Reserve Art. 23. § 6, Zone Accessible for Scientific Research 1 Art. 23. § 8.1°, Zone Accessible for Scientific Research 2 Art. 23. § 8.1°, Calibration Area for Acoustic Instruments Art. 23. § 9 Please refer to the Belgian official gazette ("Moniteur belge/Belgisch Staatsblad") for official reference information.

Beach Litter count data collected across 10 beaches of the Belgian coast in 2023 and 2024 by volunteers of the citizen science association Proper Strand Lopers. One of the key indicators of abundance, composition and trends of litter in the marine environment is the amount on beaches. OSPAR monitors litter on 100m stretches at over 70 beaches in the North-East Atlantic following common monitoring guidelines. The monitoring records litter in 112 predefined litter items in 11 types: Plastic / polystyrene, Metal, Paper and cardboard, Wood, Sanitary waste, Cloth, Rubber, Glass, Pottery/ceramics, Medical waste and Faeces.

The Royal Decree of 20 March 2026 establishing a marine spatial plan defines Fisheries Research Zone Art. 17. § 2, Zone Accessible for Aquaculture and Passive Fishing Art. 18, Zone Accessible for Aquaculture Art. 18. § 1 Please refer to the Belgian official gazette ("Moniteur belge/Belgisch Staatsblad") for official reference information.

Polar volume reflectivity data from the Wideumont weather radar. Volume data files are produced every 5 minutes from a multiple elevation scan. This product is not publicly available yet.

This dataset is part of the 2018 Belgian submission for the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) linked to descriptor 8, criterion 1. This dataset describes the contaminant concentrations in biota. The priority substances mercury, hexachlorobutadiene and hexachlorobenzene are measured in mussels and flounder in the BPNS. Results for other parameters that are part of the OSPAR Coordinated Environmental Monitoring Program are also included: polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), heavy metals, organotin-compounds and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) for the period 2011-2016. The analyses are performed by ILVO and KBIN-OD Nature that both participate in the Quasimeme ring tests for additional quality control. Bird eggs of 2008, 2010 and 2015 are measured for mercury (Hg), dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), hexachlorobenzene (HCB) and hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH). Eggs from the are measured and compared with OSPAR norms Common Tern (Sterna hirundo) are gathered in Zeebrugge and are analyzed by the Insitut für vogelforschung in Wilhelmshaven according to a standard protocol.

Points Of Interest - Cult elements contains point elements relating to the cult, namely churchs (anglican, catholic, orthodox, protestant), mosques, synanogues, buddhist temples, chapels, abbeys, priories and other religious buildings or small monuments in Belgium.

The Royal Decree of 20 March 2026 establishing a marine spatial plan defines Eastern Zone Art. 12. § 1, Princess Elisabeth Zone - Noordhinder North Art. 12. § 2.2a°, Princess Elisabeth Zone - Noordhinder South Art. 12. § 2.2b°, Princess Elisabeth Zone - Fairybank Art. 12. § 2.3°, Electricity Transmission Zone Art. 12. § 4, Safeguard Area Eastern Zone Art. 12. § 5, Cable Corridors Art. 13. § 1 Please refer to the Belgian official gazette ("Moniteur belge/Belgisch Staatsblad") for official reference information.

This dataset is part of the 2018 Belgian submission for the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) linked to descriptor 8, criterion 3. This dataset gives an overview of the observed slicks during aerial survey operations of the Belgian part of the North Sea (2011-2016). Related to significant acute pollution, it includes the observations linked to the Flinterstar incident in 2015. Besides this, all observations of illegal discharges of MARPOL (International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships) annex I and II substances are included as an additional dataset.

Total lightning observations, i.e., cloud-to-ground (CG) strokes and intra/inter-cloud (IC) pulses, in Belgium. BELLS data is given in Universal Time! (local time winter = UT +1; local time summer = UT + 2). Each record contains following fields: 1. Network type, 0 = LF, 1 = VHF-TOA, 2 = VHF-ITF, 3 = VLF 2. Year, 1970 to 2032. 3. Month, with January as 1 and December as 12. 4. Day of the month, 1 to 31. 5. Hour, 0 to 23. 6. Minute, 0 to 59. 7. Second, 0 to 60. 8. Nanosecond, 0 to 999999999. 9. Latitude of the calculated location in decimal degrees, to 4 decimal places, -90.0 to 90.0. 10. Longitude of the calculated location in decimal degrees, to 4 decimal places, -180.0 to 180.0. 11. Altitude in meters, -4950 to +60535. This field will be 0 if the altitude is not provided in the lightning data. 12. The altitude uncertainty in meters. This field will be 0 if the altitude uncertainty is not provided in the lightning data. 13. Estimated peak current in kiloamps, -9999 to 9999. 14. VHF Range normalized power, -9999.0 to 9999.0 15. Multiplicity for flash data (1 to 99) or 0 for strokes. 16. Cloud pulse count for the lightning record. This field will be -1 if the lightning did not contain the cloud pulse count attribute. 17. Number of sensors participating in the solution, 2 to 99. 18. Degrees of freedom when optimizing location, 0 to 99. 19. The error ellipse angle as a clockwise bearing from 0 degrees north, 0 to 180.0 degrees 20. The error ellipse semi-major axis length in kilometers, 0 to 50.0km. 21. The error ellipse semi-minor axis length in kilometers, 0 to 50.0km. 22. Chi-squared value from location optimization, 0 to 999.99 23. Rise time of the waveform in microseconds, 0 to 99.9 24. Peak-to-zero time of the waveform in microseconds, 0 to 999.9 25. Maximum rate-of-rise of the waveform in kA/usec (will be a negative rate if discharge is negative), -999.9 to 999.9 26. Cloud indicator, 1 if Cloud-to-cloud discharge, 0 for Cloud-to-ground 27. Angle indicator, 1 if sensor angle data used to compute position, 0 otherwise 28. Signal indicator, 1 if sensor signal data used to compute position, 0 otherwise 29. Timing indicator, 1 if sensor timing data used to compute position, 0 otherwise 30. Flash ID, a unique integer value identifying the flash grouping a stroke belongs to or 0 if not set. This product is not publically available yet.