Marine Strategy Framework Directive

Second update of the initial assessment 2016-2021

According to the provisions of the MSFD, EU member states are obliged to carry out the second update of the preliminary assessment of the environmental status of marine waters in 2024. This is also the obligation of Poland where, by Article 151(1) of The Water Law Act, an initial assessment of the environmental status of marine waters (and its updates in accordance with paragraph 13) is prepared by the competent authority of the Environmental Protection Inspection.

The second update of the preliminary assessment of the environmental status of marine waters is based on a set of indicators enabling quantitative and qualitative information on the state of the environment of Polish marine waters in all eleven features and covers the period 2016-2021.

The second update of the initial assessment of the environmental status of marine waters was carried out in Polish marine areas limited by the Polish border of the exclusive economic zone. The assessment also covers coastal and transitional waters, which are monitored and assessed in accordance with the guidelines of the Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a framework for Community action in the field of water policy (Water Framework Directive – WFD, 2000/60/EC of 23 October 2000).

The assessment takes into account the agreed indicators, methods and assessment areas and the assessment of the state of the marine environment based on them carried out at the regional level in cooperation coordinated by the Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission (Helsinki Commission – HELCOM), which prepared the Third Holistic Baltic Sea Environmental State Assessment (HOLAS 3) with the participation of experts from the Baltic countries. This approach ensures regional coherence, considering the guidelines resulting from the MSFD.

An integral part of developing the second update of the initial environmental status assessment is an updated set of properties typical of good marine status (PDF 1,96 MB), defining the expected conditions under the GES definition for all 11 characteristics.

The assessment consists of a text report (PDF 28,42 MB) and indicator reports, which are an integral part of the assessment.

Areas covered by the second update of the initial assessment of the environmental status of marine waters

Areas covered by the second update of the initial assessment of the environmental status of marine waters