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.

UNDER EMBARGO - This dataset contains seasonal physiological measurements from controlled laboratory experiments on two dominant suspension-feeding species expected to colonise floating offshore structures: the blue mussel (Mytilus edulis; AphiaID 140480) and the wrinkled barnacle (Balanus crenatus; AphiaID 106215). The measured parameters include clearance rates, respiration rates, faecal pellet production rates, and faecal pellet sinking velocities. Mussels were collected from an aquaculture longline at the Westdiep SeaFarm, while barnacles were manually retrieved from the intertidal beachhead at Raversijde (Oostende, Belgium). All experiments were conducted using natural seawater collected from offshore sites in the Belgian part of the North Sea. Measurements were repeated across multiple seasons to capture temporal variability in physiological performance. The dataset was produced within the SWiM and EcoMPV projects and is suitable for reuse in ecosystem and biogeochemical modelling, including simulations of phytoplankton dynamics associated with large-scale offshore marine photovoltaic (MPV) developments.

The Royal Decree of 22 May 2019 establishing a marine spatial plan defines 1 radar tower: Radar Oostdyck (Art. 21§3). 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 4 aquaculture zones: Zone 1 for aquaculture (Eastern zone) (Art. 14§1), Zone 2 for aquaculture (Noordhinder Noord) (Art. 14§2), Zone 3 for aquaculture (Noordhinder Zuid) (Art. 14§3), Zone 4 for aquaculture (Fairybank) (Art. 14§3). 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. 10, two zones for sustainable aquaculture: Zone 1 for sustainable aquaculture, Art. 10 § 2 Zone 1; Zone 2 for sustainable aquaculture, Art. 10 § 2 Zone 2. 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 represents the exact location of gas pipelines installed in the Belgian Part of the North Sea.

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 4, criterion 2. Three distinct datasets are published for this criterion.'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. 'Density of seabirds' describes the density of seabirds (N birds/km) observed at large in the Belgian part of the North Sea between 1987 and 2016 (three surveys a year). Thirteen species are monitored and the evolution of each species density is shown as diagrams.'Occurrence of important benthic species' describes the results of Van Veen sampling campaigns performed between 2009 and 2014 in the Belgian part of the North Sea. Benthic species are counted and identified (e.g. Annelida, Echinodermata,..).

This dataset is part of the 2018 Belgian submission for the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) linked to descriptor 1, criterion 2. The Raja clavata dataset describes the results of the Offshore Beam Trawl Surveys (BTS) in the Belgian part of the North Sea (BPNS) between 2010 and 2017. Occurrences of Raja Clavata, along with dates and locations, are reported. The codes used in the attached file are based on the ICES DATRAS (Database of Trawl Surveys) standard. The seabirds dataset describes the density of seabirds (N birds/km) observed in the BPNS between 1987 and 2016 (three surveys a year).

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.

The Royal Decree of 22 May 2019 establishing a marine spatial plan defines 8 scientific research, recreation, radars and masts zones: Scientific research (Art. 19§1), Area for test projects (Art. 19§2), Calibration of acoustic measuring devices (Art. 19§3), Industrial research and demonstration projects (Art. 19§4), Reference zone for monitoring impact of windmills and sand exploitation (Art. 19§5), Recreative activities (Art. 20§1), Recreative fisheries (Art. 20§2), Beaconing and installation of measuring poles, radars and masts (Art. 21§1). 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. 15, four zones designated for scientific research, recreative activities, radars and masts: one for scientific research (Art. 15. § 1, the whole Belgian Part of the North Sea), one for recreative activities (Art. 15. § 2, the whole Belgian Part of the North Sea) and one for radars and masts (Art. 15. § 4, the whole Belgian Part of the North Sea) and one for industrial research, experimentations in realistic conditions and demonstration projects (Art. 15. § 5, the whole Belgian Part of the North Sea). 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.