Category: OD Nature

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The new research vessel will honour the Belgian tradition and sail the seas as ‘RV Belgica II’

On 6 November 2018, the Cabinet of Science Policy launched a competition to determine the name of the new Belgian research vessel. After a first phase, in which schools could suggest names, and a second phase, in which everyone could choose from six remaining proposals, the Minister for Science Policy announced the final winner on 25 April 2019. The public chose convincingly to honour the history of Belgian marine sciences and research ships, and to send the new ship out to sea under the name Belgica II!

Artist’s Impression of Belgica II (© Freire Shipyard/Rolls-Royce Marine AS)

Minister Sophie Wilmès: “Although the name Belgica II may be less original than some other contenders in this competition, it represents an unparalleled symbolism. The new ship will continue to bear the Belgian colours, while at the same time reminding us that our country is capable of carrying out major projects, as was the case with the ship that sailed the seas under command of Adrien de Gerlache in the nineteenth century. As the scientific objectives have changed somewhat in the current context, there is no doubt that Belgica II will make an important contribution to the scientific world. Today’s major issues, such as the fight against global warming or the protection of the environment, require the contribution of science. I am very happy that this new ship will enable Belgium to participate in this research.”

Announcement of the name ‘Belgica II’ by Minister Wilmès (Science Policy) and the students of class 1LA of the Athénée Maurice Destenay from Liège (© RBINS)

Background

After 35 years of service, more than 1,000 scientific expeditions and more than 900,000 kilometres (>22.5 times around the world), the Belgian oceanographic research vessel RV Belgica (built in 1984; ‘RV’ stands for Research Vessel) is due for replacement. That is why the federal government took the decision on 28 October 2016 to build a new modern research vessel. The contract was won by Spanish shipbuilder Freire Shipyard and ship designer Rolls-Royce Marine AS, and started on 8 June 2018 (the cost price is approximately 54 million euros, including VAT). Since then, the detailed plans of the ship have been drawn and scale models have been tested. On 27 March 2019, the keel was laid, the equivalent of the foundation stone of a building. A memorable fact! The new research vessel will be operational by the end of 2020, and will be able to further support the marine research community for the next 30 years.

Keel laying of Belgica II at Freire Shipyard in Vigo, Spain, on 27 March 2019 (© RBINS)

Naming competition

A new ship obviously requires a name. To this end, the Cabinet of Science Policy launched a competition procedure on 6 November 2018. In a first phase – which ran until 31 January 2019 – classes from the first to the fourth year of secondary education of accredited Belgian schools were invited to submit proposals, with valid proposals having to consist of a suitable name and an original video in which the choice of name is enthusiastically explained. The figures show that in Belgium too few students opt for a scientific education. By involving them, we hope to generate more interest and to contribute to a greater scientific awareness.

After an initial selection by the project partners, the second phase of the naming competition began, in which the general public was called upon to participate. From 27 February to 27 March 2019, everyone could choose from the six remaining names via an online module and thus help determine the name under which the new ship will sail our seas and oceans. A convincing winner emerged: the Belgica II proposal received 33.2% of the votes! The successors are Stella Maris (20.1%), Impact (18.6%), Oddysea (18.1%), Belsora (5.2%) and Lab Mare (4.8%).

The name Belgica II was presented on 25 April 2019 on board the current RV Belgica by Sophie Wilmès, the Minister responsible for Science Policy, in the presence of the students of the winning class 1LA of the Athénée Maurice Destenay from Liège. The students of this class can rightly call themselves ambassadors of the new research vessel, and could test the sea legs on a day trip with the current research vessel RV Belgica. In the video, they report under the form of a news broadcast about their choice of the name Belgica II, in which they clearly draw the Belgian card, and refer, among other things, to De Gerlache’s South Pole expedition, which took place in 1897-1899 and was the first one to spend the winter in Antarctica.

A selection jury also decided which film could convince the most in terms of originality. The class that realised this production – class 4B of the Institut de la Providence de Champion from Namur – also receives a day trip with RV Belgica at the end of May. Their video was inspired by the Belgian comic strip heroes Tintin and Professor Calculus.

Our scientists almost drowned in the attention of students, the press and the Minister (© RBINS)

Future of the new Belgica

Compared to its predecessor, the new RV Belgica will be larger (about 70 m long compared to 50 m) and offer more space to the scientists (doubling of laboratory space with a capacity to take up to 28 scientists on board). It will be equipped with the most modern scientific equipment that allows samples to be taken up to 5,000 m deep. The new ship will also be a silent ship (important for fisheries research) with a slight ice reinforcement to be able to do research near the Arctic Circle during the summer. Although the North Sea remains the main focus area of the new vessel, the research area extends further than the current RV Belgica: northwards to above the Arctic Circle, further southwards including the Mediterranean Sea and Black Sea and westwards to the Atlantic Ocean. The ship will have an autonomy of 30 days and will carry out research at sea for up to 300 days a year.

The new Belgica will ensure compliance with national and international obligations and continuity in support of marine sciences. The international dimension of science will also receive the necessary attention, not only for Belgian scientists but also for their European colleagues. Just like the current RV Belgica was already part of the European EUROFLEETS network in this context (in which European scientists can obtain shipping time on foreign research vessels), the new RV Belgica will also remain active within this network. Under the umbrella of the European Marine Board, Belgium is also participating in a study on the status of the European fleet of research vessels, and is determining the key role that these vessels will play now and in the future in the pursuit of a better understanding of the oceans, the ecosystem functions that they provide us with, and the preconditions within which human activities can be permitted. A European Marine Board Position Paper on this subject will be published in the autumn of 2019. Thanks to the new RV Belgica and the European framework, Belgium remains at the forefront of sea-related science and technology and helps to ensure that Europe can remain a world leader in marine science and exploration.

During the announcement of the name RV Belgica II, it was very busy on RV Belgica (© RBINS)

 

The ‘NewRV’ project could only be realsied thanks to the collaboration between the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences (RBINS), the Ministry of Defence and the Federal Science Policy (BELSPO). The new Belgica will be owned by the Belgian State, represented by the Federal Science Policy (BELSPO). Operational management will be provided by the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences (RBINS) in collaboration with the Ministry of Defence.

More information about the ‘NewRV’ project and the technical specifications of the new ship can be consulted at www.belspo.be/NewRV, where the construction process can also be followed.

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Aerial Surveys over the North Sea in 2018

In 2018, we performed a total of 225 flight hours over the North Sea in the framework of the national programme of aerial surveys. This contribution lists the most important results, with focus on the core tasks: surveillance of marine pollution and monitoring of the marine environment. 16 cases of operational discharges by ships have been observed, and suspect sulphur values have been measured in the smoke plumes of 73 vessels. With this sulphur emission monitoring effort, Belgium plays an international pioneering role which arouses an increasing interest, even from far outside Europe. The plane also successfully participated in an internationally coordinated surveillance mission of the oil and gas installations in the central part of the North Sea. Furthermore, the aircraft performed some important marine mammals counts, with record densities of harbour porpoises observed in the Belgian waters in the spring of 2018.

The Coastguard aircraft OO-MMM in action. (c) RBINS/MUMM

Overview of surveillance flights

A total of 225 flight hours have been performed in the framework of the national North Sea aerial survey programme in 2018. This programme is organised by the scientific service MUMM (Management Unit of the Mathematical Model of the North Sea) of the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, in collaboration with the Ministry of Defence. Most of the flight hours were for national flights (178 hours):

  • 162 hours in the context of the Belgian Coastguard structure:
    • 121 hours for pollution control, equally divided over the detection of discharges of oil and other harmful substances (MARPOL Annex I, II and V) and the monitoring of sulphur emissions from ships (MARPOL Annex VI / SECA enforcement);
    • 37 hours for fishery control, on behalf of and in cooperation with the Flemish Fishery Inspection Services;
    • 4 hours in response to specific alerts and for airborne support in pollution combating exercises
  • 16 hours for marine mammal monitoring

A smaller part (47 hours) have been spent on international missions, of which 25 hours on sulphur emission monitoring in Dutch waters on behalf of the Dutch competent authorities, and 22 hours on the Tour d’horizon-mission for aerial surveillance of offshore oil and gas installations in the North Sea, an international mission framed in the Bonn Agreement.

Discharges from ships

Fortunately, the Belgian waters have not been affected by pollution as a result of shipping accidents (accidental pollution) in 2018. On the other hand, 16 cases of operational discharges from ships have been observed:

  • Five oil spills, all of minor volumes. In four of these cases, a spill was found without a vessel in the area. In one case however, a visual link could be made with a vessel, in Belgian waters. For this MARPOL Annex I violation case, a subsequent port investigation was performed in Hamburg, and an official statement was sent to the competent Prosecutor’s office.
The number of operational oil discharges shows a clear downward trend. (c) RBINS/MUMM
  • Ten spills of other harmful substances than oil (MARPOL Annex II). In none of these cases however a link could be made with a polluter.
Discharges of other harmful substances (other than oil) are not yet a thing of the past. (c) RBINS/MUMM
  • One case of a suspected MARPOL Annex V violation by a vessel (non-permitted release of solid cargo residues) observed in Belgian waters. In this case the suspected vessel underwent a port inspection in Rotterdam, followed by the delivery of an official statement to the competent Belgian Prosecutor’s office.

Monitoring of sulphur emissions from ships at sea

During 88 hours of sniffer flights over the Belgian and Dutch waters, monitoring compliance with the stringent fuel sulphur content limits for ships sailing in the North Sea SECA (Sulphur Emission Control Area), the sulphur emissions of a total of 1139 ships were effectively measured at sea. 73 of these vessels showed suspiciously high sulphur values. These cases were systematically reported to the competent maritime inspection services for a further follow-up in port.

The sulphur content in ship emissions can be measured at sea thanks to the sniffer technology. (c) RBINS/MUMM

At this moment Belgium is one of the few countries performing such offshore monitoring of sulphur emissions of individual ships. The gained experience and results, also in terms of subsequent port inspections of suspected vessels, have led to considerable interest in Europe and beyond.

International ‘Tour d’Horizon’ mission

During the annual TdH-mission for the surveillance of offshore platforms in the central part of the North Sea (in Dutch, German, Danish, Norwegian and British waters), performed in the framework of the Bonn Agreement, the Belgian surveillance aircraft detected 26 pollutions, of which 23 oil detections could be directly linked to offshore installations. One oil spill and 2 spills of other harmful substances had no vessel or platform in the vicinity. These detections were systematically reported for further follow-up to the competent coastal State, in accordance with agreed international procedures.

This oil slick could clearly be linked to a drilling platform. (c) RBINS/MUMM

Marine mammal monitoring off the Belgian coast

In April, July and October 2018, marine mammal monitoring campaigns were performed over the entire Belgian marine area. During these campaigns, a total of 501 marine mammals (mainly harbour porpoises) were observed along the standard flight pattern. A remarkably high density of harbour porpoises was observed during the April survey (estimate of an average density of more than 5 porpoises per km²). An exceptional pod of 25 bottlenose dolphins was observed off the Belgian coast during the monitoring flight in July, a sighting that received a lot of media attention.

Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in Belgian waters, spotted from the coastguard aircraft on 16 July 2018. (c) RBINS/MUMM
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SAVE THE DATE – Atmosphere, ocean and climate in the 21st century

The Royal Academy for Sciences of Belgium is honoured to invite you to a series of evening lectures on ‘Atmosphere, ocean and climate in the 21st century’ on 2 and 9 October 2019.

These conferences will take place in the Palais provincial de Namur and will be held in French.

It is recommended that participants register on the website by clicking on the “registration” button on the lesson page. If this is not possible, registration can be done at the course reception desk using paper forms.

© images (left to right, top to bottom) : pics-about-space.com/IPCC AR5 (2014)/ wallpaperscraft.com/NOAA/reference.com/thiswallpaper.com

This cycle of lectures introduces the basic concepts of atmospheric dynamics, physical oceanography and life in the oceanic ecosystems. The functioning of the climate machine is presented, as well as the effects of the current perturbations thereof. The goal is to frame the principal concepts that allow to understand how perturbations of the climate system can affect life, including human society.

 

Conference 1 – System « Earth » : Atmosphere, ocean and cycles of life

Wednesday 2.10.2019 – 17h-19h

The circulation of the atmosphere presides the formation of the dominant winds in the vicinity of Earth, and the transport of warmth and aerosols around the globe. The dominant winds contribute to the formation of great ocean currents but are also the cradle of local physical phenomena that are essential to marine life. These notions allow introducing the cycle of life in the ocean and the structure of typical marine ecosystems, as well as the cycles of water and carbon that are intergated in the climatic system.

 

Conference 2 – Climatic perturbations of the system « Earth»

Wednesday 9.10.2019 – 17h-19h

Anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions cause warming of the atmosphere, while CO2 emissions also contribute to acidifying the surface ocean. This has implications for the water cycle, ecosystems, climate and human societies around the world. Understanding the Earth system and climate change is a remarkable scientific breakthrough that makes us see the world as it is. This knowledge could upset man’s perceptions of the ecosystem in which he wishes to prosper.

 

Contacts :

Xavier Desmit (RBINS), xdesmit@naturalsciences.be

Alexis Merlaud (BIRA-IASB), alexis.merlaud@aeronomie.be

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How healthy is our North Sea?

The main objective of the European Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) is to achieve ‘good environmental status’ in the marine environment of all EU member states by 2020. Following the publication of a first assessment of the Belgian marine waters in 2012, 2018 is the next reporting year. The main conclusion of the current assessment is that the desired ‘good environmental status’ has not yet been achieved in the Belgian part of the North Sea. However, a positive evolution is observed for various elements.

After the European launch of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive in 2008, the framework was incorporated into Belgian legislation in 2010, followed by the publication of an initial assessment of the Belgian marine waters (what state of health is the North Sea in?) and a description of the ‘good environmental status’ (what state do we want to achieve?) in 2012. The environmental objectives that were defined allow us to evaluate the progress towards good environmental status. The MSFD provides for a six-yearly review. Based on data collected in monitoring programmes, mainly during the period 2011-2016, a new evaluation could be composed in 2018. In the new report, more than 50 indicators are assessed (grouped into 11 themes or ‘descriptors’), which allow us to gain insight into the current state of health of our North Sea. The results were compiled in a comprehensive report and summarised on a new website.

Phaeocystis globosa foam is mainly found on the beaches during periods of high nutrient richness. © C. Lancelot

The Belgian Part of the North Sea

Although the Belgian marine waters, with a surface area of 3454 km², are only the size of an average Belgian province, they are one of the most intensively used stretches of sea on our planet. It is a constant challenge to keep the influence of various human activities (ship transport, fishing, sand and gravel extraction, renewable energy, dredging, water transport, tourism, etc.) on the marine environment within acceptable limits, and thus to ensure a lasting balance between human influence and the preservation of natural values. Given the importance of transboundary currents on the state of the Belgian part of the North Sea, an international approach is also required for many aspects.

The number of illegal oil discharges has declined sharply since the launch of an air monitoring programme in 1991. The occurrence of oil spill accidents cannot, of course, be completely excluded. © RBINS/MUMM

The Main Results

  • For commercial fisheries, one of the nine reported fish stocks is assessed as being fished fully sustainable (plaice). Seven species report positive developments (cod, whiting, sole, turbot, brill, dab, flounder). Only for lemon sole did the biomass sometimes decrease during the assessment period. The introduction of more ambitious management objectives and a more correct application of the EU Common Fisheries Policy are important explanatory factors.
  • Eutrophication (excessive nutrient concentrations in water, potentially leading to algal blooms and oxygen deficiency) remains a problem in almost one third of the Belgian part of the North Sea, particularly in the coastal zone. Due to the currents, however, this does not necessarily result in undesirable phenomena such as oxygen deficiency.
  • The concentrations of pollutants in water, biota and sediment still exceed the applicable environmental quality standards. Most non-compliant substances belong to the group of persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic substances. For certain other substances, further elaboration of target values at regional level is appropriate. A positive evolution (i.e. decreasing trends) was noted for various substances but follow-up remains necessary, in particular for copper, which is again widely used in antifouling paint on ships due to the ban of TBT (tributyltin). For most effects of contaminants a reduction is observed or a good assessment is obtained.
A clear improvement is observed in the reproductive state of marine snails. In the picture a common dog whelk (Nucella lapillus) between mussels (Mytilus edulis) and barnacles, Zeebruges, © Franky Bauwens
  • The incidence of fish diseases cannot yet be assessed and the number of oil-covered birds is showing a sharp downward trend, due to a decrease in the number of illegal oil discharges since the launch of an air monitoring programme in 1991.
  • The concentrations of contaminants in fish and fishery products for human consumption all meet the European health standard.
  • Eight new non-indigenous species were observed during the assessment period, compared to the 42 already identified in the period before 2011.
  • For marine litter the situation is still problematic. This element requires considerable attention. 
For litter on the beaches, the situation remains problematic. © RBINS/MUMM
  • The effects of energy (including underwater noise) on marine biota are still unclear, although the flight behaviour of marine mammals as a response is abundantly clear. The monitoring of environmental noise will be further elaborated on a regional scale.
  • The state of the benthic habitat (the bottom) is not optimal, mainly due to disturbance by bottom fishing and only to a very limited extent, or only locally, by other human activities. The species composition of benthic habitats differs from the reference communities due to the lack of long-lived species.
Only juvenile specimens of the flat oyster (Ostrea edulis) were observed during the reference period. © RBINS/MUMM
  • A positive trend is observed for thornback ray as an indicator for long-lived species, which illustrates the potential for recovery for such species.
  • The environmental targets for seabirds are not met, or the numbers are decreasing with current densities just above the threshold values.

Conclusions 

  • Good environmental status has not yet been achieved in the Belgian part of the North Sea, although a positive evolution was observed for several elements.
  • For certain purposes, further data collection is necessary to reach a conclusion (fish diseases, benthic fauna, seabed litter, …) as monitoring for these aspects was only recently started. Furthermore, for various elements it appears that there is a need for knowledge and scientific support to complete and improve the assessment (litter, underwater noise, cumulative effects, etc.).
  • International cooperation remains important as the state of the Belgian waters is largely determined by transboundary currents.

The MSFD monitoring and reporting are coordinated by the Marine Environment Service of the Federal Public Service of Public Health, Food Chain Safety and Environment (DG EM) and the Scientific Service Management Unit of the Mathematical Model of the North Sea (MUMM) of the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences (RBINS). In addition to RBINS, the following partners also made an important contribution: Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Research (ILVO), Institute for Nature and Forest Research (INBO) and the Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain (FASFC).

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Fin Whale of De Haan Probably Died a Natural Death

The fin whale that was beached in De Haan on 25 October probably died a natural death. This became evident from the autopsy by the universities of Ghent and Liège and the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences.

The veterinarians and biologists found no evidence that the whale died from human factors. The Fin whale (Balaenoptera physalis), an almost fully grown male of 18 meters long and estimated at 30 tons, was very emaciated and its stomach was almost empty. Additional analyses for the presence of some known viruses were negative.

Story of the Stranding

The dead fin whale was spotted on 24 October in the Belgian part of the North Sea. Because the carcass was floating in a busy shipping route, the maritime services kept some of their ships alternately near the animal and the traffic centre of Zeebrugge sent out a general warning to keep ships at bay.

The cadaver of the fin whale was already documented from the air by RBINS scientists. (c) RBINS

Researchers from the Operational Directorate Natural Environment of the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences predicted by means of simulations – which take into account sea currents, wind and waves – that the carcass would wash ashore between Oostende and De Haan during the night of 24 to 25 October or during the morning of 25 October. Because the carcass could pose a danger to shipping, and because some parts of the coast are difficult to access for heavy equipment, the MRCC Oostende (Maritime Rescue and Coordination Centre) and the local authorities decided to beach it in a controlled manner. A rescue ship pulled the carcass to the beach near Vosseslag, de Haan, where it arrived around 2h00 at night.

A simulation by RBINS made it possible to indicate the zone where the fin whale would washe ashore. (c) RBINS

Quite Fresh

The impressive remains of the almost mature male were still relatively fresh. He must have died about 48 hours before the start of the autopsy. But the decomposition of large whales goes very fast. A connection with the common whale filmed five days earlier in the Netherlands could not be confirmed, nor with the sighting of a ‘whale’ on 23 October near the Buitenratel sand bar.

The fin whale on the beach of De Haan. (c) RBINS

The autopsy, carried out by veterinarians and students from the universities of Ghent and Liège and biologists from the RBINS, could not prove that a human factor contributed to the death of the animal. The fin whale was very emaciated, with a very thin layer of blubber and an almost empty stomach. Additional analyses for some viruses – morbilli, herpes, influenza and brucella – were negative. So the animal probably died a natural death.

A unique opportunity for scientists to collect all kinds of samples! (c) RBINS

The animal weighed an estimated 30,000 kilograms. Of this, 24 tons were transported by the Civil Protection to the company Rendac for processing. At the request of the municipality of De Haan, the gigantic lower jaw was spared. It will be exhibited locally after treatment by Ghent University. The university museum of Ghent University will preserve one of the pectoral fins. Numerous tissue samples have also been collected, as well as parasites that lived on the fin whale.

The autopsy and removal of a dead whale guarantee disgusting images. (c) RBINS

Rare

Fin whales are rarely seen in the North Sea. The previous stranding dates from 1 November 1997. After that, dead fin whales were brought into Belgian ports twice at the bow of a ship, in 2009 in Antwerp and in 2015 in Ghent.

The cooperation between the various services for the stranding, autopsy and removal of the dead fin whale went very well: The Agency for Maritime Services and Coast (Shipping Assistance Division, Maritime Rescue and Coordination Centre, DAB Vloot), Ship Support, Shipping Police, the Services of the Governor of the Province of West Flanders, Civil Protection, the FPS Public Health, Food Chain Safety and Environment, the Cabinet of the Secretary of State for the North Sea, the local authorities of De Haan, the universities of Ghent and Liège and the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences.

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Newest insights regarding environmental impacts of offshore wind farms in the Belgian part of the North Sea.

Energy production from renewable sources will cover 13% of the total Belgian energy consumption by 2020, if the target defined by the European Commission in 2001 is met. Offshore wind farms in the Belgian part of the North Sea are expected to make an important contribution to achieve that goal, and will produce ca. 43% of the renewable energy, assuming a 2000 Megawatt installed capacity by 2020. In the new report “Environmental Impacts of Offshore Wind Farms in the Belgian Part of the North Sea: Assessing and Managing Effect Spheres of Influence.”, the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences and its partners assess the impacts of offshore wind turbines on the marine ecosystem and reveal the processes behind these impacts.

Nowadays, four offshore wind parks are already operational in the Belgian part of the North Sea, and a fifth (Norther) is currently being constructed. By the end of 2018, an installed capacity of 1152 Megawatt, consisting of 274 offshore wind turbines, will be operational in our national waters. Four other projects are scheduled to start construction in 2019 and 2020. With 238 km² reserved for offshore wind farms in Belgium, 344 km² in the adjacent Dutch Borssele area, and 122 km² in the French Dunkerque zone (Fig. 1), cumulative ecological impacts are likely to form a major concern in the southern North Sea over the coming years.

Location of current and planned wind farms in the southern North Sea. Black line: border of the Belgian part of the North Sea; blue: wind farms already operational, orange: wind farms under construction, pink: start of construction in 2019, purple: start of construction in 2020; A and B: proposed area for the Dunkirk wind farms; dotted line: new area for renewable energies as proposed in the Marine Spatial Plan 2020-2026. © RBINS

Apart from a domain concession, a developer must therefore also obtain an environmental permit prior to installing a wind farm. Such a permit includes terms and conditions intended to minimise the impact of the project on the marine ecosystem, but also imposes a monitoring programme to assess the effects of the project on the marine environment. In Belgium, the Royal Belgian Institute for Natural Sciences coordinates this monitoring programme, thereby also relying on the expertise of Ghent University, the Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (ILVO) and the Research Institute for Nature and Forest (INBO). “With this monitoring programme, we don’t only obtain a proper understanding of the influence sphere of individual wind turbines and of wind farms as a whole, it also allows us to design mitigation measures to directly manage unwanted effects on the marine ecosystem” says Steven Degraer, lead author of the report.

Some remarkable results from the new report

Effectiveness of a single Big Bubble Curtain (BBC) to mitigate underwater sound during pile driving (chapter 2): As the size of commercially available wind turbines has increased in the last decades, more powerful hydraulic hammers are required to drive the bigger steel foundation monopiles into the seafloor. As a result, higher levels of impulsive sound are introduced into the marine environment, raising concerns about possible negative impacts on marine life. To comply with the Belgian Marine Strategy Framework Directive requirements, a threshold of 185 dB at 750 m from the sound source should not be exceeded.  Sound mitigation measures are therefore no longer an option but compulsory during piling activities. In this study, the effectiveness of a single Big Bubble Curtain was tested during the construction of the Rentel Park. In this method, air is compressed through a perforated hose that is installed on the seafloor around the construction location, creating a shield of bubbles that partially absorbs the sound energy, and reduces the sound with a maximum of 11-13 dB.

Big Bubble Curtain (BBC) © RBINS

Monitoring of sediments and of invertebrates in the soft sediments surrounding the wind turbines has shown that mussels and anemones, organisms that are known to be fouling on the turbine foundations, are becoming more abundant in these sediments than in reference zones outside the wind farms. However, detailed follow-up is needed to validate whether this is a one-off observation or a real wind farm effect, so it is too early to conclude that a direct wind farm (‘reef’) effect, or an indirect fisheries exclusion effect, is manifesting itself (chapter 3). Changes in the sediments (such as fining and enrichment), and in density, diversity and composition of invertebrate communities were detected in different magnitude around the three different turbine foundation types (monopiles, jackets and gravity-based foundations) that are used in the Belgian part of the North Sea. It is suggested that these contrasting results might be due to a combination of site-specific dispersive capacities and structural differences between foundation types and their associated invertebrate communities (chapter 5).

Apart from the follow-up in already operational wind farms, also reference conditions of invertebrate and fish communities in new concession zones are described in the report, allowing future evaluation of the effects of newly constructed wind farms on these communities (chapter 4).

A closer look at the fish fauna in the offshore wind farms (chapter 6) revealed that a combination of varied sampling techniques is necessary to get a complete view on this community. Out of a total of 25 species, 15 are also known to dwell around wrecks in the same area. Four species however, the Tadpole Fish (Raniceps raninus), the Tompot Blenny (Parablennius gattorugine) and the Longspined Bullhead (Taurulus bubalis) were previously rarely or, in the case of the Ballan Wrasse (Labrys bergylta), only once reported from Belgian waters. These species can be characterized as hard substrate-frequenting species and are expected to increasingly benefit from the continued expansion of offshore wind farms in the Southern North Sea.

Modelling of GPS data of Lesser Black-backed Gulls (Larus fuscus) (chapter 7) caught and tagged in the colonies at Ostend and Zeebrugge confirmed that much more time was spent roosting on outer than on inner turbines within a wind farm. Also, a significant and gradual increase in the number of logs of flying birds going from the centre of the wind farm up to 2000 m from the wind farm edge was found, beyond which the response seemed to stabilise. A temporal analysis showed that the birds were increasingly wary of entering the wind farm during times of strong winds with fast moving rotor blades. These results can be of high value in refining collision risk modelling.

Offshore wind farm © RBINS

The population consequences of disturbance on a simulated Harbour Porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) population (chapter 8) were tested using 17 scenarios with and without various mitigating measures. The results of this study show that a combination of a seasonal pile driving restriction (when the porpoises are most abundant) and an acoustic deterring device was not enough to lower the impact on the porpoise population to acceptable values. These simulations also suggest that building a wind farm every year affected the harbour porpoise population more than building two wind farms at the same time.

For the first time in the North Sea, bat activity was studied at the height of the nacelle (at 94 m above the sea level) in wind turbines (chapter 9). Acoustic bat detectors were installed at four turbines in the Belgian waters. Several bat species are known to migrate long distances between summer and winter roosts, and to even cross the North Sea during their migration. The results indicate that the detections at nacelle height (in the center of the rotor swept area) were around 10% of the detections made at lower altitude (ca. 17 m above sea level), giving an indication of the activity of bats at different altitudes when crossing offshore wind farms. The observations however do not yet allow to make sound conclusions about the collision risk for bats, especially not in the lower part of the rotor swept zone.

More information:

This press release only describes the general monitoring framework of environmental effects in the Belgian offshore wind farms, and only focusses on some of the results. The complete report, as well as the older monitoring reports, can be consulted here.

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Aerosol correction for high resolution satellite data

Satellite data are increasingly used in applications such as water turbidity mapping (important for aquatic organisms) and understanding sediment transport. The atmosphere however is highly variable due to the presence of aerosols, a mixture of tiny particles that impact satellite images through absorption and reflection of light. Hence, an atmospheric correction is essential before using the satellite data. In a new paper by Quinten Vanhellemont, researcher of the Operational Directorate Natural Environments (OD Nature) of our institute, a new atmospheric correction algorithm is presented for water applications of high resolution satellite data.

The Dark Spectrum Fitting (DSF) algorithm was developed in the PONDER project, funded by the BELSPO (Belgian Science Policy) Stereo III programme. This project aims to use data from very high resolution satellite sensors such as Pléiades to generate much more detailed information on water turbidity and sediment transport, but it is necessary to first develop a method for processing the images accurately.

Pléiades image of the port of Zeebruges and surroundings.

Removal of Aerosol Impact from Satellite Images

After selecting dark pixels in a satellite scene, the Dark Spectrum Fitting algorithm uses those to estimate the atmospheric aerosols. Thanks to the high spatial resolution of Pléiades, this method can retrieve high resolution maps of the aerosol distribution by using ground level object shadows. The application of the DSF to Pléiades imagery with a ground resolution of 2 m is presented, allowing the retrieval of high resolution turbidity and suspended sediments in and around the port of Zeebrugge.

Water turbidity in and around Zeebruges estimated from a Pléiades image after application of the Dark Spectrum Fitting algorithm. Note that the high turbidity zones were not visible on the initial satellite image.

Additional Uses

The Dark Spectrum Fitting algorithm has also been adapted for use on data generated by other satellites, notably Landsat and Sentinel-2, and has been distributed as the default algorithm in ACOLITE  for those satellites since April 2018. ACOLITE is the software for analysis and interpretation of satellite imagery, and was also developed by Quinten at the Royal Belgian Institue of Natural Sciences. A paper describing the adaptation and validation of the DSF to Landsat and Sentinel-2 is in preparation.

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Marine mammals in Belgium in 2017

Our marine scientists summarise the available information on marine mammals in Belgium in an annual report. In addition to a discussion on the strandings and observations of marine mammals and remarkable fish in 2017, the latest edition also contains opinion pieces about Arctic climate refugees and the grey seal in our coastal waters.

Grey seal in the harbour of Nieuwpoort on 17 January 2017 (foto: T. Hubin/RBINS).

Harbour porpoises

In 2017, the number of stranded harbour porpoises more or less equalled the average of the past 10 years. “Predation by the grey seal and incidental catch were the most important causes of death we identified,” explains Jan Haelters, lead author of the new report. “Nearly 60% of the 93 harbour porpoises that stranded along the Belgian coast in 2017, died due to one of these causes.”

Other cetaceans

Two observations of white-beaked dolphins were documented in 2017, while bottle-nosed dolphins were reported more regularly. Also one deceased individual of both these species washed ashore. A dead minke whale floated through Belgian waters, and eventually washed ashore in the Netherlands.

Seals

With 10 common seals, 8 grey seals and 19 non-identified seals, the number of dead or dying seals exhibits a rising trend. Additionally, 22 common and 6 grey seals were taken into temporary care at SEALIFE Blankenberge. A remarkably high number of seals that had been injured by fishing hooks was observed in the port of Nieuwpoort.

A very unexpected visitor

The bowhead whale that stayed off the coastal towns of Ostend and Middelkerke on 31 March and 1 April was the first ever to be reported for the entire North Sea. Barely a year after the stranding of a narwhal, the sighting of this animal, of a species that inhabits very northerly waters, instigates a lot of speculation about the effects of climate change on marine life in the Arctic, and perhaps at a global scale.

This report describes part of the implementation of the Royal Decree on Marine Species Protection, and its production was only possible thanks to the support of many volunteers, other institutions and  coastal authorities. Interested readers can download the report at www.marinemammals.be/reports (available in Dutch and French, with English summary).

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Belgian Coast Guard leading in the international fight against air pollution above the sea

Since 2016, a so-called ‘sniffer’ sensor has been used onboard the Belgian Coast Guard aircraft to check for environmental and nautical violations. This sensor allows the sulfur content in the fuel to be derived on the basis of measurements made in the emissions of ships above the sea. This method not only enables more efficient monitoring of aspects of air quality over the sea, but also allows identification of potential offenders. In this context, international attention is increasingly directed at the Belgian example. In addition to the North Sea countries, it is currently mainly China that expresses its interest.

(c) RBINS/SURV

Air pollution by ships and the Belgian pioneering role

Air pollution, and its consequences for people and the environment, receives a great deal of attention in our media. Road traffic is particularly targeted, but often it is forgotten that shipping is also an important source of air pollution (and other forms of pollution). In this way, also sulfur dioxides in the emissions of ships burning sulfur-rich heavy fuels contribute to various public health and environmental issues (particulate matter, acid rain, climate change). The reduction of sulfur emissions from ships at sea is therefore the subject of international conventions (limit on sulfur content in the fuel laid down in the MARPOL Convention, the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships), and is a European top priority (European Sulfur Directive). We have previously reported on the sniffer sensor that has been used on board the Belgian Coast Guard aircraft since 2016 to measure the sulfur emissions from ships above the North Sea (the levels of SO2 and CO2 are measured, from which the sulfur content in the fuel can be calculated). The Coast Guard aircraft, owned by the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, thus contributes to the efficient enforcement of shipping, in collaboration with FPS Mobility. The unique pioneering role that Belgium plays has not gone unnoticed. For example, there is already active collaboration with the Netherlands and other North Sea countries are also considering to follow the Belgian example.

(c) RBINS/SURV

Intercontinental interest

But the international interest does not stop there! The Belgian performance and expertise also appeared on the radars of countries outside the North Sea basin and the EU. For example, our air surveillance operator Ward Van Roy was invited in September 2017 to present the Belgian pioneering work at an international meeting in the Canadian town of Cornwall (Ontario). The public consisted mainly of government representatives charged with tackling pollution from ships.

In June 2017, also a delegation from the Chinese Ministry of Transport visited the Belgian air surveillance team, to assess the possibility of applying the Belgian procedures in China. Like Europe, China is very much affected by air pollution, and the central Chinese government is now strongly committed to reducing the backlog in the fight against ship emissions. It attributed substantial resources to realise this catch-up movement, and set up three ‘Domestic Emission Control Areas’ (DECAs) around the busiest Chinese ports in 2016. The shipping inspection services were then instructed to tackle the environmental pollution from ships, and therefore the sulfur issue, in these DECAs. The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), an NGO that aims to protect the earth (its people, its plants and animals, and the natural systems that life depends on), supports the Chinese government departments in building up the expertise needed to carry out the monitoring themselves in the future.

The three Chinese Emission Control Areas are located around the busiest Chinese port areas.

Learning from the Belgian experience

In early May 2018, Van Roy was invited by the NRDC and the China Waterborne Transport Research Institute (Department of the Transport Ministry) to discuss the regulation and enforcement of the emissions of ships in the DECA zones at a workshop in Shenzhen, China. The NRDC subsequently organized a workshop and media event in Beijing on 6 June 2018, also celebrating the second anniversary of the Chinese DECA implementation. Once again Ward Van Roy (together with the Dane Jon Knudsen) was selected to share his knowledge about the sulfur theme via teleconference, to explain the Belgian experiences, and to highlight the importance of the Chinese DECA implementation. “We assume that the messages from international experts can help China take more progressive actions and set up a robust monitoring program,” says Freda Fung of NRDC. “Furthermore, we hope that the foreign experiences will be inspiring, not only to further develop and implement the mandatory legal framework, but also to set up voluntary actions to further reduce the sulfur emissions from ships.”

Big in China

The media event was a great success! The Chinese journalists found it very valuable to hear directly from foreign experts how enforcement in their country is being dealt with, and whether new technologies to reduce the sulfur content of ships’ emissions work efficiently. “The Chinese media were also very enthusiastic about the fact that monitoring from the air can effectively be an important link in detecting emission violations at sea, and showed a great interest in the Belgian pioneering work”, says Van Roy. “A few leading Chinese newspapers (including People’s Daily) and many sector-specific media (about shipping, energy and transport), reported on the media event, and quoted the Belgian researcher with regard to various aspects of his story. Ward and the Belgian approach are now famous in China! “Freda adds.

“Ward Van Roy and Jon Knudsen have described in detail how the sniffer technology should be used to effectively monitor the emission of pollutants in the air by ships at sea.”

“Ward Van Roy also provided a clarifying explanation of the effect of desulfurisation scrubbers*, and the fact that they still contribute to pollution when the resulting wastewater is not collected and purified, but discharged directly.”

China Shipping Weekly, 06-07-18

“The international interest in the Belgian pioneering work gives us a great deal of satisfaction and extra motivation to proceed on the chosen way, both in relation to our work assignment and fed by our concern for the quality of our environment, of which air quality is also an important part.” Van Roy concludes.

(c) RBINS/K. Moreau

Future perspectives

In the meantime, the scientists of the Belgian air surveillance team are looking into the possibilities to expand their expertise with the measurement of nitrogen compounds in the emission of ships at sea, for which stricter standards will apply from 2021 onwards. They also continue to inform other North Sea countries and the European Commission about the usefulness of ‘sniffer’ flights above the sea, hoping that the practice will be extended not only to China but also around the North Sea (and to other European sea areas) in the coming years.

* Scrubbers are installations in which water removes unwanted pollutants from a gas flow. When that water is not collected after treatment, it is called an ‘open system’, in the other case a ‘closed system’.