DEMASK: policy options for underwater noise
DEMASK supports policy makers, NGOs and the maritime industry in the management of the underwater North Sea soundscape. By building capacities to define and assess scenarios for development, DEMASK enables them to take measures that contribute to a well-managed soundscape and environmental protection of the North Sea.
Underwater noise is recognised as a pollutant of the marine environment. Proper management of underwater noise helps to keep the sea healthy. DEMASK stands for: Development and evaluation of noise management strategies to keep the North Sea healthy.
The North Sea is one of the busiest shipping areas in the world, shared with other human activities such as fishing and tourism. Underwater noise is recognised as a pollutant in the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD). EU member states are mandated to monitor and mitigate noise pollution as part of their efforts to obtain Good Environmental Status.
Urgency
With ambitious plans to produce energy from offshore wind farms, major changes will occur in the North Sea in the next decades. The marine ecosystem is at risk of being impacted by all these human activities, making it crucial to manage the sea more sustainably. The need to manage seas sustainably has been recognised in the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the UN Ocean Decade.
It is reflected in a number of EU policies, including the Marine Spatial Planning Directive (MSP) and the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD).
Approach
DEMASK will develop scenarios for noise management in close collaboration with a wide range of stakeholders. Different scenarios will be tested against a base scenario. The effect on the noise pollution will be evaluated and discussed with the stakeholders. Some specific case studies will be chosen to illustrate noise for different regions and sound sources.
Soundscape maps will be produced to quantify the results and knowledge on the effects of noise on marine species. These will be used to assess the threat of underwater noise to the marine environment.
Impact
Increase of human activities in the North Sea is resulting in the rise of underwater noise. DEMASK will contribute to a well-managed North Sea soundscape and protection of the marine environment.
Period
January 2024 - December 2026
Programme
Project website
Partners
Rijkswaterstaat, Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency, Netherlands Organisation for applied Scientific Research TNO, Institute for Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research, IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute, Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, North Sea Foundation, Flanders Marine Institute, JASCO Applied Sciences.
