Theme
WATER
CSI 021 Nutrients in transitional, coastal and
marine waters
Key message
Some monitoring stations have recorded a decrease
Nutrient concentrations have generally remained stable
over the recent years.
in phosphate concentration and others increase in nitrate
concentration.
Figure 1. Monitoring stations
Source: Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries, Split; Ruđer Bošković Institute- Centre for Marine Research, Rovinj
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Figure 2. Mean concentration of phosphate and nitrate in the surface layer (0-10 m) of the eastern Adriatic Sea area, 19982004
3.00
0.09
0.08
2.50
nitrate/ µmol/L
2.00
0.06
0.05
1.50
0.04
1.00
0.03
phosphate/ µmol/L
0.07
0.02
0.50
0.01
0.00
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
nitrate
1.289
1.497
1.822
1.941
2.498
1.526
2.574
phosphate
0.075
0.066
0.078
0.066
0.063
0.048
0.045
0.00
Source: Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries, Split; Ruđer Bošković Institute- Centre for Marine Research, Rovinj
Results and assessment
Assessment:
Policy relevance
Most monitoring stations have recorded a relatively low
There is no legal obligation for monitoring of the marine en-
concentration of orthophosphates and observed their decrea-
vironment parameters. The National Environmental Protection Stra-
sing trend. A somewhat higher concentration of orthophospha-
tegy (OG 46/02) foresees establishment of the Marine Information
tes has been recorded in semiconfined area of Vranjic (OC7).
System, and the Regulation on the Environmental Information System
The Kaštela monitoring station (OC6) has observed an increa-
(EIS) (OG 74/99) envisages the marine environment data collecti-
sing trend in inorganic nitrogen concentration. Since these salts
on. The CEA is responsible for establishment of the EIS.
are naturally present in seawater, an increased concentration
The only systematic monitoring is carried out within the Cro-
need not necessarily be caused by human activities (rather by
atian National Monitoring Programme: Systematic Research of the
abrasion, erosion, groundwater loads) but it is most often due to
Adriatic Sea as a Base for Sustainable Development of the Republic
discharge of untreated wastewater (municipal, industrial) and
of Croatia (Project Jadran), which monitors the marine ecosystem
agricultural land runoffs.
including the surface concentration of nitrate and phosphate in the
eastern Adriatic Sea area.
Concentration of nutrient is generally highest in the vicinity of river mouths and cities, reflecting the land based nutrient
Nitrogen and phosphorus enrichment of the coastal waters
may cause a series of undesirable effects. Excessive growth of plan-
inputs. The monitoring stations are generally located in costal
waters.
kton algae increases the amount of organic matter. The consequential increase in oxygen consumption can lead to oxygen depletion
and benthic community structure changes (deaths, migrations).
The objective of indicator use is to demonstrate effects the measures taken to reduce load on coastal waters from the diffuse and
point sources on coastal nutrient concentrations.
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Metadata
Quality information (at data level):
Legal bases for the indicator:
Convention for the Protection of the Mediterranean Sea against
Pollution (Barcelona Convention)
National Annual Monitoring Programme for the Republic
of Croatia is prepared within the Programme for the Assessment
and Control of Pollution in the Mediterranean Region (MED
Environmental Protection Act (OG 84/94, 128/99)
POL), and it focuses on collecting and publishing of all the
National Environment Protection Strategy (Official Gazette
indicators which are submitted to the UNEP/MAP Athens.
46/02)
Regulation on the Environmental Information System (OG
Strength and weakness (at data level):
National monitoring system does not classify the monitoring
74/99)
Regulation on the Croatian Environment Agency Establishment
stations as those in transitional, coastal and marine waters, as has
been done for the sake of this Report. The data shown (Figure 2)
(OG 75/02)
refer exclusively to coastal waters since number of monitoring
Data source(s):
stations in transitional waters (3 stations) and marine waters
Annual Report on Marine Environment Condition Indicators, Institute of Oceanography and Fishery, Split
(3 stations) is insufficient for separate specific reports. The
state is assessed for all available monitoring stations (Figure
1) pursuant to the applicable national methodology. Larger
Geographical coverage: national, eastern Adriatic Sea area
volume of data needs to be available with more extensive
spatial coverage: number of monitoring stations in transitional
Temporal coverage: 1998-2004
and marine waters needs to be increased, and the monitoring
procedure started in Ličko–Senjska County which currently has
Methodology and frequency of data collection:
Determined by the activities of the Institute of Oceanography
and Fisheries, Split and Ruđer Bošković Institute - Centre for
no monitoring stations in place. Assessment will be of higher
quality once the data for longer time series are available (The
Project Jadran started in 1998).
Marine Research, Rovinj.
Methodology of data manipulation (measurements):
Determined by the activities of the Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries, Split and Ruđer Bošković Institute - Centre for
Marine Research, Rovinj
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