An Italian proposal on the monitoring of underwater noise: Relationship between the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) and marine spatial planning directive (MSP)

The ecosystem approach has become a common tool in environmental governance over the last decade. Within the EU context this is most clearly accentuated through the adoption of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive and the Directive on Maritime Spatial Planning, that both include requirements for member states to apply the approach. This paper examines how the EU countries in the Baltic Sea Regionhave organised their marine spatial planning (MSP) in terms management levels and geographic delimitations. The examination shows that there is no consistent interpretation of what the appropriate level of management, or ecosystem scale, is. These findings are used to inform a discussion on how the ecosystem approach has been applied in the countries around the Baltic Sea, and how this may affect thepotential of transboundary cooperation initiatives.

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Underwater noise in the Slovenian Sea

Materials and Geoenvironment ◽

10.2478/rmzmag-2020-0018 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 0 (0) ◽

Author(s):

Andreja Popit

Keyword(s):

Wind Speed ◽

Statistical Methods ◽

Acoustic Propagation ◽

Anthropogenic Noise ◽

Underwater Noise ◽

Noise Levels ◽

Marine Strategy Framework Directive ◽

Noise Sources ◽

The Eu

Abstract Continuous underwater noise has been monitored in the Slovenian sea near the lighthouse foundation at Debeli Rtič since February 2015, according to the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD). Anthropogenic noise sources (e.g. seawater densities, dredging activities and cleaning of the seafloor) and meteorological noise sources (e.g. wind speed and precipitation) were analysed in relation to the measured underwater noise levels using several graphical and statistical methods. The results of this study showed that average equivalent continuous underwater noise levels were, by 11 dB (L eq,63 Hz) and 5 dB (L eq,125 Hz), higher in the intervals when dredging activities took place than in the intervals when these activities were absent. Variation in underwater noise levels was partly related to the variation of the ship densities, which could be explained by the relatively small acoustic propagation in the shallow seawater. Precipitation level did not indicate any significant association with the variations in continuous underwater noise levels, though some larger deviations in the wind speed were found to be associated with the larger fluctuations in continuous underwater noise levels.

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Ecological Governance for Offshore Wind Energy in United Kingdom Waters: Has an Effective Legal Framework Been Established for Preventing Ecologically Harmful Development?

The International Journal of Marine and Coastal Law ◽

10.1163/15718085-12341379 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 30 (4) ◽

pp. 765-793 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Olivia Woolley

Keyword(s):

Spatial Planning ◽

Marine Ecosystem ◽

Holistic Approach ◽

Legal Framework ◽

Offshore Wind ◽

Marine Spatial Planning ◽

Marine Strategy Framework Directive ◽

Policy Statements ◽

Ecological Governance ◽

Coastal Access

The article assesses the United Kingdom’s (uk) legal framework for offshore wind development in light of policy statements of uk Governments that exploitation of this resource should not compromise marine ecosystem functionality. The first part examines the reliance placed on strategic environmental assessment and on permitting for projects to identify and address impacts. It finds that inadequate use has been made of these potentially effective legal tools for preventing ecologically damaging development. The second part considers whether legal requirements for marine spatial planning (Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009) and for improving the condition of Europe’s marine ecosystems (Marine Strategy Framework Directive) bolster the strength of the legal framework for controlling sea uses. It finds encouragement in their holistic approach to regulating the impacts of marine activities, but concludes that they fall short of what would be required to prevent the expansion of the offshore wind sector from causing ecological harm.

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