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.

UNDER EMBARGO - This dataset is part of BE/2023 sampling campagn in SW Greenland fjords (Igaliku and Tunulliarfik). Samples for DNA extraction were collected along fjord transects at several depths of the water column. The focus of the study was to determine the taxonomical composotion of bacterial community in two Arctic fjords.

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 coastal protection experiments zone: Coastal protection belt (Art. 20§2). 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 extents and location of Reefs in the Belgian Part of the North Sea (BPNS) as required for article 17 of the Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora. The Council Directive seeks to contribute to ensuring biodiversity in the European Union by the conservation of natural habitats and wild fauna and flora species.

The Royal Decree of 20 March 2026 establishing the marine spatial plan for the period 2026 to 2034 in the Belgian marine areas defines 8 scientific research and recreation zones: Thorntonbank monitoring area (Art. 23§10.1°), Gootebank monitoring area (Art. 23§10.2°), Scientific research zone (Art. 23§3), Search area for scientific research reserve (Art. 23§6), Zone with prohibition of additional fixed structures (Art. 23§7.4°), Zone accessible for scientific research 1 (Art. 23§8.1°), Zone accessible for scientific research 2 (Art. 23§8.1°), Reference area for calibration and quality assessment of measuring instruments (Art. 23§9). It replaces the 2020 Marine Spatial Plan. Please refer to the Belgian official gazette ("Moniteur belgeBelgisch 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 3 aquaculture zones: Fisheries research zone (Art. 17§2), Zone accessible to aquaculture and passive fisheries (Art. 18), Zone accessible to aquaculture (Art. 18§1). It replaces the 2020 Marine Spatial Plan. Please refer to the Belgian official gazette ("Moniteur belgeBelgisch Staatsblad") for official reference information.

RADQPE provides high resolution radar-based quantitative precipitation estimation in realtime for Belgium and its surroundings. This product is not publically available yet.

Bird density profiles are derived from weather radar volume data in real time, by the vol2bird algorithm as described in Dokter et al. (2011, 2019). The vol2bird algorithm exploits the radar reflectivity characteristics of different scatterers in the atmosphere, in order to distinguish biological from non-biological radar echoes. Once biological scatterers are isolated in the volume files, the reflectivity of these scatterers is converted in an estimate of the bird density per vertical layer of 200m, using a mean cross section of 11 cm2. The vbird profiles are provided for the following radars, with the radar owner in parentheses: Jabbeke (RMI), Wideumont (RMI), Helchteren (VMM), Zaventem (Skeyes), Herwijnen (KNMI), Den Helder (KNMI), Neuheilenbach (DWD), Essen (DWD), Abbeville (Météo-France) and Avesnois (Météo-France). References: - Dokter A.M., Liechti F., Stark H., Delobbe L., Tabary P., Holleman I., Bird migration flight altitudes studied by a network of operational weather radars, J. R. Soc. Interface, 8, 30–43, 2011, DOI 10.1098/rsif.2010.0116 - Dokter A.M., Desmet P., Spaaks J.H., van Hoey S., Veen L., Verlinden L., Nilsson C., Haase G., Leijnse H., Farnsworth A., Bouten W., Shamoun-Baranes J., bioRad: biological analysis and visualization of weather radar data, Ecography, 42, 852-860, 2019, DOI 10.1111/ecog.04028

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 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).