JUSTIFICATION FOR EXCLUDING SPECIFIC BQE OR SUB-BQE
1. INTRODUCTION
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Member State
Norway
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BQE or sub-BQE
Sub-BQE Angiosperms
The process of separating Water body category (types) for Norway
In the WFD (Directive 2000/60/EC) different ecoregions are defined for the marine areas of
Norway. During Phase I, Skagerrak was separated out as an ecoregion with 3 NEA-GIGs i.e. NEA 8, 9
and 10.
During the initial intercalibration-process Sweden, Denmark and Norway discussed how to proceed
with the intercalibration of the BQE “Macroalgae and Angiosperms” and agreed to separate these
two into different indices. Hence, intercalibration of the sub-EQR were attempted among the three
countries. However, it turned out to be difficult to find a coherent trend in the preliminary results
during the IC-process. It was suggested that differences in both physical and chemical properties
among Skagerrak and Kattegat caused such problems. Hence, a justification paper suggesting a
change in the typology of Skagerrak separating Kattegat from Skagerrak, was submitted to JRC. The
suggested change in typology was approved by DG Environment. This resulted in the separation of
NEA 8 into NEA 8a (Skagerrak) and 8b (Kattegat) of which Sweden and Norway shared the first and
Sweden and Denmark shared the latter. Denmark did not have water type (WT) 9 nor 10. These WT
are only shared by Norway and Sweden.
The typology of Norway is shown in the figure below. Both the Norwegian Sea and the North Sea
are divided up in two sub-regions due to the limited tidal amplitude in region N (North Sea South)
and no sun north of the arctic circle in sub region G (Norwegian Sea North) during winter. The
subdivisions were necessary as the differences in both physical condition and the extent of the
littoral zone among the sub-regions, would necessitate different class boundaries for the sub-BQE
Macroalgae among the sub-regions.
Figure 1. Sub-ecoregions and Water Types (WT)of Norway. Norway has all WT in all regions
excepts for WT 4 in region S.
The angiosperm Zostera marina will not be affected by low tidal amplitudes to the same degree as
littoral assemblages, as the species occurs on sub-littoral soft bottoms.
2. STATUS FOR DEVELOPMENT OF METHODS USED FOR ANGIOSPERMS
IN NORWAY AND WHICH WATER TYPES TO INTERCALIBRATE
NEA 8a, 9 AND 10.
During the first phase Norway and Sweden was able to intercalibrate the methods used for the subBQE Macroalgae. The additional requirements under phase II were also met and likewise approved
by the commission (Commission Decision 2013/480/EU). Both nations used a method that
included nine species of microalgae. Zostera marina was not included during the intercalibration.
Later Sweden has incorporated Zostera marina in their macroalgae metric for WT NEA8a and 9.
In 2003 Norway initiated a large mapping program of the biological diversity in coastal areas of
Norway. Mapping of angiosperms was one of the tasks of the program. The information of
angiosperms occurrence have been based on interviews, modelling and verification of sites by
video recordings for most of the counties along the Norwegian Coast (there are still some left and
will be finished in 2018).
With data from the mapping program, Norway developed five national methods for the WT NEA8a,
9 and 10 with class boundaries. The class boundaries are based on expert judgement and lower
depth limit data, and there is a lack of knowledge regarding dose-response relationships.
In 2013, Norway included these national methods in our classification guidance, but no monitoring
has occurred yet. Because of the lack of data, these indices for the sub-BQE Angiosperm for WT NEA
8a, 9 and 10 has not been intercalibrated with Sweden yet. However, there are plans to start up
monitoring of angiosperms in 2017. This will give us important information and might make us able
to intercalibrate at a later stage.
NEA 1-26 AND 7
During the first phase of IC Norway had little information on the distribution of eelgrass along the
Norwegian Coast. Some information existed for the Skagerrak region (S in Figure 1). However, it
was clear that Norway did not have the same extent of littoral occurring Zostra-beds in
corresponding water types as the other memberstates had. As the habitats of sublittoral and littoral
assemblages of Zostera are so different, it was decided that intercalibration of these two different
habitats would be impossible and that Norway could not proceed with the intercalibration process
of angiosperms within NEA 1-26 and 7.
In 2016, the Norwegian Environment Agency initiated a project that has the intention of revising
existing class boundaries for the methods used in the Skagerrak region and developed new class
boundaries for all other WT. The information gathered under the national mapping program will be
used in this project. The outcome of the project will also include class boundaries for angiosperm
status classes in the Barents Sea region (B) and for the WT 4 and 5 (national water types see figure
1) in all regions where the WT are defined. The results will be available in February of 2017, and
will give us useful information about angiosperms in different water types.