INSTITUTE OF NATURAL SCIENCES
Operational Directorate Natural Environment
MARECO – Marine Ecology and Management
MarinePlan MarinePlan is an interdisciplinary project that advocates for an integrative ecosystem-based management of marine areas. Its objective is to develop a clear, practical and homogeneous methodology for ecosystem-based marine spatial planning implementation across European countries. This framework will account for all stages of the process, from pre-operational preparation, to implementation, monitoring and success evaluation.…
RBINS-EMBRC The RBINS-EMBRC project aims to develop a centrally managed ‘Artificial Hard Substrate Garden (AHGS)’, to provide a flexible in-situ offshore test facility as an EMBRC service pillar to researchers and industry. This test facility will support research on the effects of man-made structures (renewable energy devices, mariculture installations, coastal defense structures, etc.) on the marine…
CANOE Climate chANge impacts on carbon cycling and fOod wEbs in Arctic Fjords Greenlandic fjords support highly productive and diverse food webs, while they play an important role as CO2 sinks. At the same time, global warming significantly impacts these systems through the accelerated melting of ice. CANOE aims to investigate to what extent glacial…
EMF Effects on Marine Life The effect of artificial electromagnetic fields on the early-life stage development of electro- and magneto-sensitive North Sea species The project evaluates the potential impact of energy development at sea on reproduction and conservation of electro- and magneto-sensitive species that cohabit offshore wind farms in the Belgian Part of the North…
APELAFICO Apelafico collects data on density and diversity of pelagic fish in and around offshore wind farms in association with acoustic conditions during the construction and operation of wind farms. The project also zooms in on fish behaviour in the direct vicinity of pile driving activities (i.e. danger zone) and, tests and improves an acoustic…
MINING IMPACT II In the last decade, there has been growing global attention toward the deep-sea mining industry. This is due to the increasing demand for metals and rare earth elements, of which large quantities and high concentrations can be found in certain marine deposits, such as poly-metallic nodules, within abyssal provinces. OD Nature is…
On the Compatibility of Offshore Wind Farms and Marine Protected Areas The race for space in the marine environment urges the consideration of co-locating human activities at sea. The recently proliferating offshore wind farms pose threats to and at the same time, offer possibilities for marine conservation and restoration. MARECO investigates options for mitigating undesired…
Jomopans JOMOPANS will deliver an innovative combination of modelling and high-quality measurements at sea for an operational joint monitoring program for ambient sound in the North Sea. The use of consistent measurement standards and interpretation tools will enable marine managers, planners and other stakeholders internationally to identify, for the first time, where sound may adversely…
UNITED Multi-Use offshore platforms demoNstrators for boostIng cost-effecTive and Eco-friendly proDuction in sustainable marine activities The UNITED project will provide evidence for the viability of ocean multi-use through the development of five demonstration pilots in the real European marine environment. The Belgian pilot is centered around the combination of offshore wind energy, seaweed (Saccharina latissima)…
Assessing the Conservation Status of the “Vlakte van de Raan” Marine Protected Area The “Vlakte van de Raan” Special Area for Conservation has recently been spatially extended in the framework of a revision of the Belgian marine spatial plan (2020-2026). To ascertain a proper management of the MPA, an updated scientific assessment of the habitats…
