The European environment – state and outlook 2010

SOER structure overview: Click on the boxes to access the different assessments
Located in The European environment – state and outlook 2010
SOER 2010 assessments: Located in The European environment – state and outlook 2010
Fishing fleet capacity (CSI 034) - Assessment published Sep 2011: The overall size and capacity (power and tonnage) of the European fishing fleets continues to follow a downward trend in all countries groups – EU15, EFTA, EU7, and Bulgaria and Romania. There are still however important issues concerning data availability and quality that need to be overcome to allow for a more robust assessment, especially for the Member States who have most recently joined the EU. The average size of vessels seems to be increasing in EU15 and EFTA, whereas in EU7 and in Bulgaria and Romania there seems to be a downward trend. The increase in the average size of vessels in the main European fishing fleets, i.e. EU15 and EFTA, possibly indicates a shift towards trawlers and purse seines, which are usually larger than vessels using passive gear and hence exert a greater fishing pressure. Also, other parameters such as technological developments, type of fishing gear and level of activity should be included in the analysis of fleet capacity to more accurately assess the effective fishing capacity of the European fishing fleet.
Located in Data and maps › Indicators › Fishing fleet capacity
Chlorophyll in transitional, coastal and marine waters (CSI 023) - Assessment published Jul 2011: In 2008, the highest summer chlorophyll-a concentrations were observed in coastal areas and estuaries where nutrient concentrations are high, namely in the Gulf of Riga, the Gulf of Finland and along the coast of France and Belgium. Although nutrient concentrations in some European sea areas decreased from 1985 to 2008 (see Core Set Indicator 21), these changes were not clearly reflected in chlorophyll-a concentrations: of the 546 stations reported to the EEA the majority of the stations (89%) indicated no statistically significant change. Changes were detected mainly in Finnish, Dutch, Norwegian, Swedish and Italian coastal waters. At the Finnish and Swedish monitoring stations chlorophyll-a concentrations showed both decreasing and increasing trends, whereas in Italy, Netherlands and Norway concentrations were mainly decreasing. An analysis of changes based on satellite imagery show significantly increasing trends of ocean colour (equivalent to chl-a)along the Mediterranean coast, whereas trends are significantly decreasing in large parts of the central Mediterranean and Black Seas. It also shows significantly increasing trends in the Baltic Sea, but here the analysis is less certain.
Located in Data and maps › Indicators › Chlorophyll in transitional, coastal and marine waters
Nutrients in transitional, coastal and marine waters (CSI 021) - Assessment published Jul 2011: Decreasing nutrient concentrations were found in the North Sea and in the Baltic Sea. In the Mediterranean and Black Sea, the lack of temporally and spatially comprehensive time series does not allow an overall assessment. In 2008, the highest concentrations of oxidized nitrogen were found in the Gulf of Riga, and in Lithuanian, Swedish, German, Belgian, and Scottish coastal waters. Between 1985 and 2008, 12% of all the stations in the European seas reported to the EEA showed decreasing trends of oxidized nitrogen concentrations. These trends were more evident in the open Baltic Sea and in the Dutch and German coastal waters in the North Sea. In 2008, the highest orthophosphate concentrations were found at Finnish coastal stations in the Gulf of Finland, the Gulf of Riga, German, Belgian, French, and Scottish coastal waters. Between 1985 and 2008, 15% of all the stations in the European seas reported to the EEA showed a decrease in orthophosphate concentrations, mainly because of improved waste water treatment. This decrease was most evident in Norwegian, Lithuanian, Danish, Belgian and Dutch coastal water stations, and in the open waters of the North and Baltic Seas.
Located in Data and maps › Indicators › Nutrients in transitional, coastal and marine waters
Greece — launch of the SOER 2010: Located in The European environment – state and outlook 2010 › Launches and events
Sweden — launch of the SOER 2010: Located in The European environment – state and outlook 2010 › Launches and events
Links between environmental challenges — SOER synthesis chapter 6: Located in The European environment – state and outlook 2010 › Synthesis › The European environment – state and outlook 2010: Synthesis
Environment, health and quality of life — SOER synthesis chapter 5: Located in The European environment – state and outlook 2010 › Synthesis › The European environment – state and outlook 2010: Synthesis
Natural resources and waste — SOER synthesis chapter 4: Located in The European environment – state and outlook 2010 › Synthesis › The European environment – state and outlook 2010: Synthesis