The Royal Decree of 22 May 2019 establishing a marine spatial plan defines in its Art. 11. five dredged material disposal sites (Dredged material disposal site S1, Art. 11 § 1.1°; Dredged material disposal site S2, Art. 11 § 1.2°; Dredged material disposal site Bruggen en Wegen Oostende, Art. 11 § 1.3°; Dredged material disposal site Bruggen en Wegen Zeebrugge Oost, Art. 11 § 1.4°; Dredged material disposal site Bruggen en Wegen Nieuwpoort, Art. 11 § 1.5°). Futhermore, additional zones are defined for the future replacement of dredging areas as defined in Art. 11 §3, §5, §7 and §9. It replaces the 2014 Marine Spatial Plan, which is included for completeness. The Royal Decree of 20 March 2014 establishing a marine spatial plan defines in its Art. 9. five dredged material disposal sites (Dredged material disposal site S1, Art. 9 § 6.1°; Dredged material disposal site S2, Art. 9 § 6.2°; Dredged material disposal site Bruggen en Wegen Oostende, Art. 9 § 6.3°; Dredged material disposal site Bruggen en Wegen Zeebrugge Oost, Art. 9 § 6.4°; Dredged material disposal site Bruggen en Wegen Nieuwpoort, Art. 9 § 6.5°). These zones are made available digitally in the resource described by this metadata document. 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 9, criterion 1. The dataset contains the results of analyses on raw fish, mollusk and crustacean samples originating from the southern North Sea and the Channel and taken as part of the control programme by the Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain. The analyzed substances are metals (cadmium, mercury and lead), dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs, PCBs, PAHs, Cesium 134 and Cesium 137.

This dataset is part of the 2018 Belgian submission for the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) linked to descriptor 5, criterion 1. This dataset contains the nutrient concentrations (ammonia, nitrate, nitrite, total nitrogen, phosphorus) measured on water samples taken in the BPNS between 2011 and 2016. The analysis of nutrients (N and P) is ensured by the national monitoring programme at ten sampling locations that are representative for the surrounding water masses. Based on all 2011-2016 results, the relationship with the salt content was calculated and, for each year, the value derived corresponding to a salt content of 33.5. The surface of the area where the nutrient concentrations exceed the respective thresholds was calculated on the basis of the relationship with the winter salt content and a climatology of the spatial distribution of the salt content (see annex D5 of the Belgian MSFD report). The resulting maps give a good overview of nutrient concentrations in the Belgian zone. In order to take into account the coastal-sea gradient and to illustrate the temporal trends in detail, the concentrations were also evaluated in three different areas of the BPNS: the coastal zone, the territorial zone and the open-sea zone. The long-term trends of nutrient concentrations in the three zones were assessed statistically.

This dataset is part of the 2018 Belgian submission for the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) linked to descriptor 8, criterion 1. This dataset is part of the 2018 Belgian submission for the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) linked to descriptor 8, criterion 1. This dataset contains the concentrations of priority substances (tributyltin, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and polybrominated diphenylethers (PBDEs)) measured in the water column at three stations in the Belgian part of the North Sea between 2009 and 2014 (as reported in the frame of the WFD in 2016). In total, 45 different parameters are measured.

This dataset is part of the 2018 Belgian submission for the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) linked to descriptor 11, criterion 1. This dataset describes the impulsive noise generated during percussion pile emplacement for offshore wind farm construction and unexploded ordnance (UxO) explosions. Impulsive underwater sound (pressure) was measured during pile driving operations in Belgian waters, for different types of foundations (monopiles of different diameters, foundations of ducts with a smaller diameter) and hydraulic hammers with different energy powers. The results of measurements at Bligh Bank and Thornton Bank, with a resulting extrapolation of zero to peak noise level (Lz-p) at 750m and Sound Exposure Level (SEL) (no mitigation measures deployed), are presented (Norro et al., 2013).

This dataset represents the location of the windfarms concessions in the Belgian Part of the North Sea.

This dataset is part of the 2018 Belgian submission for the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) linked to descriptor 2, criterion 1. This dataset lists the newly-introduced species encountered on buoys and in epibenthic and Van Veen grab samples taken in the Belgian part of the North Sea (BPNS) between 2011 and 2016.

This dataset is part of the 2018 Belgian submission for the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) linked to descriptor 1, criterion 1. Stranded porpoises often show traces of incidental catch in fishing nets (bycatch), a major cause of death for this cetacean in the North Sea. Based on the number of stranded animals showing traces of bycatch, it can be estimated that up to a few dozen porpoises are caught per year. For extrapolation of bycatch data to effects at population level, reference is made to (future) initiatives at regional level.

The Royal Decree of 22 May 2019 establishing a marine spatial plan defines 1 coastal protection experiments zone: Zone for coastal protection experiments (Art. 16§2). It replaces the 2014 Marine Spatial Plan, which is included for completeness. The Royal Decree of 20 March 2014 establishing a marine spatial plan defines in its Art. 12. §1 one zone for coastal protection experiments. This zone is made available digitally in the resource described by this metadata document. Please refer to the Belgian official gazette (\"Moniteur belge/Belgisch Staatsblad\") for official reference information.

The Royal Decree of 22 May 2019 establishing a marine spatial plan defines 5 commercial and industrial zones: Zone A for commercial and industrial activities (Art. 23§1), Zone B for commercial and industrial activities (Art. 23§1), Zone C for commercial and industrial activities (Art. 23§1), Zone D for commercial and industrial activities (Art. 23§1), Zone E for commercial and industrial activities (Art. 23§1). Please refer to the Belgian official gazette (\"Moniteur belge/Belgisch Staatsblad\") for official reference information.