The Royal Decree of 20 March 2026 establishing the marine spatial plan for the period 2026 to 2034 in the Belgian marine areas defines 12 sand and gravel extraction zones: Sand and gravel extraction sector 1a (Thorntonbank) (Art. 19§1.1°), Sand and gravel extraction sector 4d (Art. 19§1.10°), Sand and gravel extraction sector 5 (Blighbank) (Art. 19§1.11°), Sand extraction sector 2kb (Kwintebank) (Art. 19§1.2°), Sand extraction sector 2br (Buiten Ratel) (Art. 19§1.3°), Sand extraction sector 2od (Oostdyck) (Art. 19§1.4°), Sand and gravel extraction sector 3a (Sierra Ventana) (Art. 19§1.5°), Sand and gravel extraction sector 3b (Sierra Ventana) (Art. 19§1.6°), Sand and gravel extraction sector 4a (Noordhinder) (Art. 19§1.7°), Sand and gravel extraction sector 4b (Oosthinder North) (Art. 19§1.8°), Sand and gravel extraction sector 4c (Oosthinder South) (Art. 19§1.9°), Extraction search zone (Art. 19§4). It replaces the 2020 Marine Spatial Plan. Please refer to the Belgian official gazette ("Moniteur belgeBelgisch Staatsblad") for official reference information.

This dataset describes the location of the samples gathered for the Scientific research program DGL-JW (2021-15) managed bu the FPS Environment. Sampling started in 2004 and lasted until 2021.

The Royal Decree of 20 March 2026 establishing the marine spatial plan for the period 2026 to 2034 in the Belgian marine areas defines 13 nature conservation areas: Seabed integrity zone: Zone 1, upper (Art. 10§1.1°), Seabed integrity zone: Zone 2, middle (Art. 10§1.2°), Seabed integrity zone: Zone 3, lower (Art. 10§1.3°), Ramsar area (Art. 11), Special Area of Conservation "Vlaamse Banken" (Art. 8§1), Special Area of Conservation "Vlakte van de Raan" (Art. 8§3), Special Protection Area for Birds: SPA 1 (Art. 8§5.1°), Special Protection Area for Birds: SPA 2 (Art. 8§5.2°), Special Protection Area for Birds: SPA 3 (Art. 8§5.3°), Marine reserve: Zone 1, upper (Art. 9§1.1°), Marine reserve: Zone 2a, middle (Art. 9§1.2°), Marine reserve: Zone 2b, middle (Art. 9§2), Marine reserve: Zone 3, lower (Art. 9§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 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).

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 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.

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.

An hillshade is a homogeneous and regular points grid, indicating the grey tone deriving from their orientation relative to the chosen fictitious light source. The Hillshade DTM 5m is a representation of the hillshading of the DTM 5m.

The DTM 5m, digital terrain model at 5m-resolution, is a homogeneous and regular point grid indicating the height of the ground level in order to model its surface, without taking into account objects on the surface such as buildings and vegetation. The DTM 5m is the result of the assembly of different data coming from various sources and with different coordinate systems and resolutions. The DTM 1m is achieved by interpolating in Lambert 2008 source data in Lambert 72 and at a 1m-resolution from the Flemish (2013-2015) and Brussels (2021) regions, and by adding Lambert 2008 data at 1m-resolution from the Walloon Region (2021-2022). The DTM 5m is obtained by resampling of the DTM 1m. In addition, the DTM 5m is improved and updated internally using direct photogrammetric surveys based on the most recent aerial photographs.

The Royal Decree of 20 March 2026 establishing the marine spatial plan for the period 2026 to 2034 in the Belgian marine areas defines 5 fishery management zones: Zone with prohibition of active bottom-disturbing commercial fishing (Art. 10§2), Zone with prohibition of bottom-disturbing commercial fishing (Art. 10§2), Fisheries research zone (Art. 17§2), Zone accessible to aquaculture and passive fisheries (Art. 18), Zone with prohibition of bottom-disturbing recreational fishing (Art. 24§2). It replaces the 2020 Marine Spatial Plan. Please refer to the Belgian official gazette ("Moniteur belgeBelgisch Staatsblad") for official reference information.