TOWARDS 2000: MARINE MONITORING IN THE 1990s The 5th Report of the UK Marine Pollution Monitoring Management Group 1998 1 This report has been produced on behalf of MPMMG by CEFAS. Further copies can be obtained from CEFAS, Lowestoft Laboratory, Pakefield Road, Lowestoft, Suffolk NR33 0HT Cover satellite image is reproduced by permission of the Science Photo Library 2 CONTENTS Page 1. Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 5 1.1 National Monitoring Plan/Programme ................................................................................ 5 1.2 Quality Control................................................................................................................... 5 1.3 Sea disposal monitoring .................................................................................................... 5 1.4 Effects of marine fish farming ............................................................................................ 5 1.5 Radioactivity in the Irish Sea ............................................................................................. 6 1.6 Nutrient studies ................................................................................................................. 6 1.7 Inputs ................................................................................................................................ 6 2. The National Monitoring Programme ...................................................................................... 6 2.1 Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 6 2.2 Objectives ......................................................................................................................... 6 2.3 Strategy ............................................................................................................................. 7 2.4 Network of monitoring sites ............................................................................................... 7 2.5 Variables to be measured at each station .......................................................................... 7 3. National Marine Chemical Analytical Quality Control Scheme .............................................. 8 3.1 Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 8 3.2 Objectives of the scheme .................................................................................................. 9 3.3 Scheme operation .............................................................................................................9 3.4 Laboratory performance .................................................................................................. 13 3.5 The future ........................................................................................................................ 15 4. National Marine Biological Analytical Quality Control ......................................................... 15 4.1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 15 4.2 Year 1 .............................................................................................................................. 15 4.3 Year 2 .............................................................................................................................. 16 4.4 The future ........................................................................................................................ 18 5. Co-ordination of the monitoring of sea disposal activities .................................................. 18 5.1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 18 5.2 Environmental Quality Objectives .................................................................................... 18 5.3 Improvement of methods ................................................................................................ 18 5.4 Dredged material disposal ............................................................................................... 19 5.5 Sewage sludge disposal .................................................................................................. 19 5.6 Pipeline discharges ......................................................................................................... 19 5.7 Conclusions..................................................................................................................... 19 6. The environmental impact of fish farming ............................................................................ 20 6.1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 20 6.2 Legislation ....................................................................................................................... 20 6.3 Impacts of marine fish farming ........................................................................................ 20 6.4 Environmental Quality Objectives and Standards ............................................................ 20 6.5 Conclusions and recommendations ................................................................................ 21 7. Radioactivity in the Irish Sea .................................................................................................. 21 7.1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 21 7.2 Radionuclides in sea water.............................................................................................. 21 7.3 Radionuclides in sediments ............................................................................................. 22 7.4 Accumulation of radionuclides by biota............................................................................ 23 7.5 Assessment of radiation exposures to the public ............................................................ 24 7.6 Impact on the environment .............................................................................................. 25 7.7 Concluding remarks ........................................................................................................ 25 /continued: 3 8. Nutrient studies ....................................................................................................................... 26 8.1 JONUS ............................................................................................................................ 26 8.2 SONUS ........................................................................................................................... 27 8.3 Nutrient-related studies in Northern Ireland and Scotland ............................................... 28 8.4 Loch Linnhe Project......................................................................................................... 28 8.5 Coastal Zone Project ....................................................................................................... 28 8.6 Ythan estuary .................................................................................................................. 29 9. Report on inputs of contaminants to UK waters in 1993 ...................................................... 29 9.1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 29 9.2 Procedure........................................................................................................................ 29 9.3 Results ............................................................................................................................ 29 9.4 Discussion ....................................................................................................................... 32 Colour Plates .................................................................................................................................. 33-36 10. Past achievements and future activities................................................................................ 37 11. References ............................................................................................................................... 38 Appendix 1. List of Marine Pollution Monitoring Management Group Members 1990-1995 ... 39 Appendix 2. List of Members of the GCSDM and Task Teams 1990-1995 ................................ 41 Appendix 3. Publications of the Marine Pollution Monitoring Management Group and its sub-groups ................................................................................................... 45 Appendix 4. Glossary of technical terms and acronyms used in the text ................................ 47 4 1. INTRODUCTION consistent information for the varied purposes required by international conventions and assessment exercises. The world is very conscious of pollution, and the notion The NMP will greatly facilitate this responsibility. of the sea as a general repository for harmful wastes and contaminants provides one of the most obvious focuses 1.2 Quality Control for environmental concern. There is thus a continuing need for monitoring of the marine environment to determine what pollution is there, what is changing, and