Biodiversity

Biodiversity describes the variety of life on earth, and it operates from genes and species to entire ecosystems. Biodiversity therefore refers to all life-forms and their behaviours, the environments in which they live, and the complex system of relationships between organisms, such as food webs and competition for resources.

Non-indigenous Species

Non-indigenous species are species introduced outside their natural range, which might survive and subsequently reproduce and therefore threaten biodiversity. These species are introduced in situations where exchange of people or goods takes place between countries and continents, by shipping for example.

Commercial Fish and shellfish

Commercially exploited fish and shellfish are all living marine resources targeted for economic profit such as the bony fish, sharks, crustacean, molluscs, jellyfish and starfish. Those stocks should be in a healthy state and exploitation should be sustainable.

Food webs

Food webs are networks of feeding interactions between consumers and their food. This feature addresses the rates of circulation of matter and energy transfer within the system and levels of productivity in key components, and ecosystem structure.

Eutrophication

Eutrophication is a process driven by the enrichment of water by nutrients, especially compounds of nitrogen and phosphorus, leading to increased growth, production and biomass of algae, changes in the balance of ecosystem and water quality degradation.

The main nitrogen load comes from agricultural areas, nitrogen gases, aquaculture, industrial water and adjacent oceans. The main contribution of phosphate comes from domestic and industrial sewage and waste water.

Sea-floor Integrity

The sea-floor integrity reflects the physical, chemical and biological characteristics of the sea bottom. These characteristics delineate the structure and functioning of marine ecosystems, especially for species and communities living on the sea floor. 

Hydrographical Conditions

Hydrographical conditions are characterized by the physical parameters of seawater: temperature, salinity, depth, currents, waves, turbulence, turbidity. They can be altered by human activities, especially in coastal areas.

Contaminants

“substances (i.e. chemical elements and compounds) or groups of substances that are toxic, persistent and liable to bio-accumulate and other substances or groups of substances which give rise to an equivalent level of concern” (Water Framework Directive, Article 2(29)).

Examples of such substances found in the marine environment include pesticides, pharmaceuticals and heavy metals, among others.

Contaminants in Seafood

Substances accumulating in an organism are likely to be transferred in the food chain. Biomagnification is a process where the concentration of a contaminant increases within the food chain.

Marine litter

Marine litter is a global concern, affecting all the seas and oceans of the world. Every year, millions of tons of litter end up in the reservoirs worldwide, turning it into the world's biggest landfill and thus posing environmental, economic, health and aesthetic problems.

Energy incl. Underwater Noise

The sources of underwater noise are all mechanical devices operating in the sea such as ships, sonar, dredgers, excavators sand, cables, causing the electromagnetic radiation, cooling water systems, military action. Sounds may propagate in the water in it at much greater distances than in air.