This dataset represents the location of the Princess Elizabeth zone in the Belgian Part of the North Sea as described in the Royal Decree of May 22th, 2019, establishing a marine spatial plan for the period 2020-2026. Art. 8. § 3.

This dataset is part of the 2018 Belgian submission for the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) linked to descriptor 8, criterion 4. This dataset contains measurements on the 7-Ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) activity in Limanda limanda, Imposex (OTIN in Mytilus edulis), fish diseases and counts of oiled common guillemots in the Belgian part of the North Sea.

UNDER EMBARGO - This dataset contains marine organic matter source samples, artificial mixtures of known composition, and compound-specific nitrogen stable isotope data of amino acids (δ¹⁵N-AA). Source materials include phytoplankton, zooplankton, and faecal pellets from the marine fouling species Mytilus edulis and Metridium senile.Samples were collected and processed in the laboratory under controlled conditions. Artificial mixtures were prepared by combining source materials in defined proportions to generate experimental samples representing multiple marine organic matter source combinations. Metadata describing sample collection, preparation, and mixture composition are included.Compound-specific nitrogen isotope ratios of individual amino acids were measured using stable isotope analysis. The dataset includes isotopic measurements for all source samples and artificial mixtures, along with associated metadata required to document sampling, laboratory preparation, and analytical procedures.

This dataset is part of the 2018 Belgian submission for the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) linked to descriptor 7, criterion 1. This dataset describes the impact of an offshore windmills farm on the hydrodynamics in the Belgian part of the North Sea (BPNS). Originally, it is a NetCDF file with the results of the reference simulation made with the COHERENS (COupled Hydrodynamical Ecological model for REgioNal Shelf seas) hydrodynamic model only forced by tides (no wind effect). Model resolution : ~ 12.5m. It contains both the reference situation which is a simulation without any windmill and the modeling result of the influence by the windmills on the hydrodynamic in the BPNS. The dataset contains the results on the most inner nested grid level for one reference spring-neap cycle: - hourly sea surface elevation - hourly bottom shear stress - hourly 3D horizontal velocity components (u,v) - hourly 3D eddy viscosity - time-averaged bottom shear stress over the reference spring-neap cycle - percentile 90 of the bottom shear stress for the reference spring-neap cycle - percentile 90 of the specific kinetic energy at the sea bed - accumulated time during which sedimentation processes are dominant - accumulated time during which re-suspension processes are dominant.

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.

The Royal Decree of 20 March 2026 establishing the marine spatial plan for the period 2026 to 2034 in the Belgian marine areas defines 20 shipping and ports zones: IMO shipping zones (Art. 14§2), Traffic separation schemes (Art. 14§2), IMO traffic separation scheme "Noordhinder South" (Art. 14§2.1°), IMO precautionary area "in the vicinity of Thornton and Blighbank" (Art. 14§2.10°), Other routes and traffic flows (Royal Decree) (Art. 14§2.11°-19°), IMO traffic separation scheme "Off Noordhinder" (Art. 14§2.2°), IMO precautionary area "Noordhinder Junction" (Art. 14§2.3°), IMO traffic separation scheme "At Westhinder" (Art. 14§2.4°), Separation line "At West Hinder" (Art. 14§2.4°), IMO precautionary area "At Westhinder" (Art. 14§2.5°), IMO area to be avoided "At Westhinder" (Art. 14§2.6°), IMO deep-water route "Approach to the Scheldt" (Art. 14§2.7°), IMO two-way route "Westpit" (Art. 14§2.8°), IMO precautionary area "At Gootebank" (Art. 14§2.9°), Anchorage area "Oostdyck" (Art. 14§3.1°), IMO anchorage area "At Westhinder" (Art. 14§3.2°), Maritime safety research zone: Zone 1 (Art. 14§5.1°), Maritime safety research zone: Zone 2 (Art. 14§5.2°), Maritime safety research zone: Zone 3 (Art. 14§5.3°). It replaces the 2020 Marine Spatial Plan. Please refer to the Belgian official gazette ("Moniteur belgeBelgisch Staatsblad") for official reference information.

This dataset represents the exact location of electrical cables installed in the Belgian Part of the North Sea, including these for for the wind farms.

The Royal Decree of 20 March 2026 establishing the marine spatial plan for the period 2026 to 2034 in the Belgian marine areas defines 1 radar tower: Oostdyck radar tower (Art. 25§3). It replaces the 2020 Marine Spatial Plan. Please refer to the Belgian official gazette ("Moniteur belgeBelgisch Staatsblad") for official reference information.

This dataset is part of the 2018 Belgian submission for the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) linked to descriptor 6, criterion 2. This dataset describes and maps the physical disturbance to the seabed in the Belgian part of the North Sea (BPNS) between 2011 and 2016. The dataset combines different layers of human activities leading to a disturbance of the seabed, including power cables with its rock dump, dredging and dumping, extraction, war ammunition stocking and wind farms. The area disturbed is mapped and quantified per year, per activity and per benthic broad habitat.

This dataset is part of the 2018 Belgian submission for the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) linked to descriptor 1, criterion 3. Occurrence of breeding seabirds describes the observation of eight seabird species (Common tern, Black-headed Gull, Herring Gull, Common Gull, Small Black-backed Gull, Yellow-legged gull, Big Stern and Little Stern) on the Belgian coast between 1992 and 2015.