life+11 env/se/841 inception report covering the … · life project number life+11 env/se/841...

LIFE Project Number

LIFE+11 ENV/SE/841

Inception Report Covering the project activities from 01/09/2012 to 31/03/2013

Reporting Date

<dd/mm/yyyy>

LIFE+ PROJECT NAME or Acronym

BIAS

Data Project

Project location The Baltic Sea

Project start date: 01/09/2012

Project end date: 31/08/2016 Extension date:

Total budget 4,451,138 €

EC contribution: 2,215,567 €

(%) of eligible costs

Data Beneficiary

Name Beneficiary Swedish Defence Research Agency

Contact person Mr Peter Sigray

Postal address Gullfossgatan 6

Telephone +46 8 5550 3640

Fax:

E-mail [email protected]

Project Website www.bias-project.eu

Inception report LIFE+ 2

REQUIRED STRUCTURE:

1. Table of contents

2. List of abbreviations

AB Associated Beneficiary(ies)

AU Aarhus University, Danish beneficiary 1

AqB AquaBiota Water Research

Bs Coordinating and associated beneficiaries as well as sub-contracted

partners

BSH German Maritime and Hydrographic Agency, German beneficiary 1

CB Coordinating Beneficiary

D11 Descriptor 11

FB Fjord&Bælt, Danish partner 2 that was switched to SDU

FOI The Swedish Defence Research Agency, coordinating beneficiary

FRUG Foundation of the Development of University of Gdansk, Polish

beneficiary

SwAM Swedish Administration for Water Management

IoP Indicator of Progress

ITAP Institute for Technical and Applied Physics, German beneficiary 2

KU CORPI Coastal Research and Planning Institute of Klaipeda University,

Lithuanian member at the start of the project

MSFD Marine Strategy Framework Directive

PA Partnership Agreement

PoC Point of Contact

SDU The University of Southern Denmark, Danish beneficiary 2

SYKE Finnish Environment Institute, Finnish partner

TSG-Noise The official European group of experts working on guidelines for

implementing D11

TUT Tallinn University of Technology, Estonian beneficiary

QA Quality Assurance

QO Quiet Oceans

3. Executive summary

3.1. General progress.

The project started 1 September 2012. The Kick-off meeting was arranged 11 - 12

September 2012 in Stockholm. Both administrators and technical staff of AB and CB

were attending. The focus was on Common Provisions and activities for the first

BIAS period covering 1 September 2012 – 31 November 2012. During the meeting

the project plan was scrutinized so to make the AB aware of the details of the project.

The focus of work was to start-up actions A1, A2, A3 and B12. The AB was given

the task to take contact their national authorities to establish the status of the

implementation of descriptor 11 and also to inform that BIAS was up and running

with the objective to implement D11 on a regional scale. The AB was also given the

task to establish contact with the responsible authorities and investigate the national

legislations for acquiring permits for deployment as well as national rules for

handling of sound data.


The last PA was signed 21 December 2012. The administration, E1, of BIAS was

sub-contracted 2013-02-28 as well as action A5, B12 and B13.

On 17 November 2012 a meeting was arranged with the BIAS Monitor in Stockholm.

The project was presented to the Monitor. The amendment to the Grant Agreement

was discussed initiated by the exit of KU CORPI from the project and the switch of

beneficiary in Denmark from FB to SDU. The CB administrative systems were

demonstrated and discussed.

The second meeting was arranged in Helsinki 27 to 29 November 2012, hosted by

SYKE. Results from the TSG-Noise group were presented. Special questions related

to Common Provisions were discussed. The second period covering the period 1

December 2012 to 28 February 2013 was planned. The action B2 and was started.

ITAP presented preliminary draft on standards (action B3). SYKE presented ideas

and plans for action B10. It was decided that BIAS recommends ICES squares for

registry area (indicator 1 in D11) in the Baltic Sea. The third meeting, a workshop,

was planned to be arranged in Hamburg in April 2013.

All preparatory actions (actions A1-A5) except action A4 have been started. Action

A4 cannot be started before equipment has been purchased which is at earliest on 31

May 2013, according to plan. Actions B1, B10, B13, D1, D3, D4 and E9 were also

started.

The website and facebook was launched 21 December 2012. Dissemination got a

flying start with medial exposures in newspapers and public radio in Sweden and

Estonia. BIAS has also been presented orally at the TSG-Noise meeting (see web

site). Special meetings on the role of BIAS in Europe were discussed with the

chairman of TSG-Noise, René Derkling.

4. Administrative part

4.1. Description of project management

FOI is the coordinating beneficiary of BIAS, and Peter Sigray is the project

coordinator. After inviting tenders for project administration in accordance with

action A3, AquaBiota was chosen and subcontracted. At AqB, Mari Peters is working

with the daily management of project administration. To facilitate an easy

communication she is working one day a week in the office of Peter Sigray. The CB

and Mari Peters have established an administrative group consisting of people from

all ABs and CB (AU, Anita Porsdal; SYKE, Ulla Haapanen, ITAP, Sybille Koller;

FRUG, Maria Maslak; SDU, Inge Blond Kroun; BSH, Maria Boethling; TUT, Merle

Aadli; FOI, Titti Wiklund). Mari Peters, AqB, is leading this group. For CB Titti

Wiklund at FOI with long experience on EU project was appointed to support Mari

Peters in FOI related administrative tasks. Mathias Andersson (FOI) is deputy project

coordinator and supporting Peter Sigray in the running of the project actions. A

weakly occurring meeting is arranged (Mondays or Tuesdays) where FOI and AqB

make plan for the rest of the week. This meeting also fills the purpose to inform

everybody on the status of the project. Thereby minimizing the potential problem of


being dependent on one person. An IoP list was added to the PA to facilitate the

running of the project. This list is used by all Bs to plan and execute the actions. A

virtual project room has been employed. This room also serves as the “Data Sharing

Platform”. It stores data on a server where a back-up is regularly performed. All Bs

has access to this area. The project room can be accessed by login from the website.

At the kick-off, a clear division of work was done. The responsible persons for each

action were appointed as well as responsible persons for governance of the project,

according to the PA. Responsible for started actions are A5, B12 and B13 are Anna

Nikolopolus, AqB; A6 and B10 Jukka Pajala, SYKE; B1 Rainer Matuschek, ITAP;

B2 Jaroslaw Tegowski, FRUG; and B11 Thomas Folegot, Quiet Oceans (at the

writing of the Inception Report). PoCs from all beneficiary responsible persons were

appointed for working with the website and facebook. PoCs were also appointed for

preparing and performing the field program (actions A1, A2, A3, A4, A6, B3-B10).

The organigramme shows the structure of the project. Two changes, compared to the

proposal, have been inferred: a steering and an administrative group have been

established. The first has the role to act as steering group, according to the

governance of the project as defined in the PA. The second group has the role to

coordinate the administration of the project in order to facilitate a handling of the

project according to the Common Provisions. Both groups are headed by the

coordinator of BIAS.


4.2. Organigramme of the project team and the project management

structure

5. Technical part

Underwater sound might potentially harm the marine environment. Sound was included in

the MSFD as the 11:th Descriptor, which deals with impulsive and continuous sound.

Overall, sound has to be managed and due to its unbound character it should preferably be

handled on a regional scale. The BIAS project aims at implementing the MSFD descriptor

11 in the Baltic Sea region. Out of nine bordering nations (eight being EU members) six


are beneficiaries in BIAS and one is a voluntary partner (Lithuania), leaving only Latvia

and Russia not presently involved in BIAS. The project objectives are to establish tools

and standards that can be used by the implementing authorities as well as assess the

soundscape based on one year of measurements. Further, an objective is to implement the

management on a regional level. The project consists of 40 actions. All actions have

defined Indicators of Progress, which are used in the project to follow the project time

plan.

5.1. Actions The text refers to the Indicator of the Final Proposal. The indicators and

their numbers refer to the Indicator of Progress list given in Appendix 7.3.

5.1.1. Action A1 Planning of field survey

This action consists of four IoPs. According to the proposal two should be

finished during the first period. IoP1 deals with the gathering of GIS layers for

field survey. This IoP was delayed due to the sub-contractor needing more time

to gather the data. The data were gathered shortly after the end of the inception

period and the IoP is finished, at the time of writing of the Inception Report. The

second IoP21 deals with establishing the draft transnational field survey plan,

which has been finished. BIAS has preliminary positions for the 38 deployment

positions. A draft of the soundscape categories report is done and circulated

among the AB.

During the next period the A1 action will be completed. Two more IoPs will be

finished. The final survey plan will be finalized during June 2013 (IoP37) and the

draft soundscape plan will be finalized (IoP38). No delays of action A1 are

anticipated.

5.1.2. Action A2 Permits

This action consists of three IoPs. IoP14 is planned to be completed during the

period. IoP14 deals with approaching relevant authorities related to deployment

and handling of data. In September 2012 all ABs have identified both the

authorities approving deployment and authorities approving data handle. The

authorities were approached and PoCs were identified. Thus, the first IoP14 is

completed. The outcome of the discussions is that there are no formal permits for

deploying or handling of data. The authorities and Navies want to be informed on

the deployments and sometimes involved in handling of data. Hence,

requirements of permits should be replaced by informing relevant authorities.

The plan for the next period is to inform during spring/summer. There is no

reason to believe that action A2 will be delayed.

5.1.3. Action A3 Establishment of contracts

This action consists of 10 IoPs. Seven IoPs are planned to be finished during the

inception period. IoP2: Draft partnership agreement was sent to partners,

established and signed by all Abs during the period. IoP3: The public tender for

project administration was published during the period. IoP17: Project

administrator was contracted during the period. IoP4b: Tenders were issued for

A5, B12, B13 during the period. Tenders for C2 and D2 are pending, see 3.3.

IoP18b: Subcontracting was done for A5, B11 and B12 during the period. IoP19:

Tenders for equipment and consumables are almost done by all AB. One brand

of the hydrophone loggers to be used within BIAS will have an upgraded version

available during late summer. AB that will use this logger has placed the orders

but delivery will not occur until august 2013. It should be noted that TUT was


not successful in receiving tenders fulfilling their specifications. TUT are in the

process to resubmit a tender and is expected to get their equipment before

summer 2013 well in advance before deployment (the procurement was

successful at end of April). We do not foresee any problems with the

procurement of TUT, since the underwater rigs will be designed late summer and

tested at a 2-day workshop during autumn in Stockholm.

5.1.4. Action A4 Preparation of field equipment

This action consists of five IoPs. There was no IoP planned to be completed

during the period. At the Kick-off meeting, rig designs were discussed and the

Swedish rig was shown. The ABs have experience from rig design and it was

decided that the ABs will adapt their rigs according to local requirements (e.g.

trawl safety). Work has started at CB to develop standardized calibration

protocol. Equipment for low-frequency calibration is in place. A rig workshop is

planned to be held in Stockholm during the second period where final rig designs

are established and where training of rig deployment will be done in the

Stockholm Archipelago. No delays anticipated.

5.1.5. Action A5 Preparation of input data to soundscape modelling

This action consists of four IoPs. Two IoPs were to be finished during the current

inception period. IoP22 : Primary information on static environmental parameters

(bathymetry, sediments, substrate) was completed in March 2013. Several

relevant sources of bathymetry data and seabed sediment data have been

identified. For both bathymetry and sediments, grids delivered to EUSeaMap

from the EMODNET hydrography project in 2010 are estimated to withhold the

highest quality of all know grids with full spatial coverage of the Baltic Sea.

IoP23: Primary information on dynamic parameters (oceanography and

ship/noise info) was completed in March 2013. A number of sources for modeled

real-time water parameters are available. Most national meteorological and

hydrological agencies in the Baltic Sea region have comparable operational

models from which such data may be retrieved. Also, there are additional

projects and organisations which provide the same type of output, eg.

MyOcean2. Sources have been identified for ship info from Automatic

Identification System data (AIS) as well as fishing Vessel Monitoring System

data (VMS). Extracts for of these two ship data types were made for use within

the survey planning in action A1.

5.1.6. Action A6 Sea safety course

This action consists of four IoPs. There is no IoP to be completed during the

period. The AB was asked to present their need for participating in a sea safety

course. All ABs responded positively. During the period different suppliers of the

course have been approached and the Finnish company Meriturva

(http://www.meriturva.fi/en/) was chosen. Preliminary 16 people in BIAS have

shown interest in participating. The course will be given 16 May 2013. The

action will thereby be completed and closed.

5.1.7. Action B1 Establishment of noise measurement standards

This action consists of 11 IoPs. There is no IoP to be completed during the

period. However at the end of April there should be drafts ready. The standards

are essential for measuring sound. There are no accepted standards established


yet in the world. The BIAS standards will deal with handling of sensors, handling

of data and hardware specifications. BIAS will put the three parts into one

standard. A working group was established at the Kick-off meeting. At the

Helsinki meeting draft ideas was presented by ITAP. The drafts are planned to be

established at the workshop in Hamburg in April. No delays are anticipated.

5.1.8. Action B2 Establishment of signal processing standards

This action consists of three IoPs. There is no IoP to be executed in the period.

IoP80should be ready 30 April 2014. Initial discussions have started on the

content and main issues to include. Jaroslaw Tegowski at FRUG is responsible

for this action. Scientific papers and the guidelines of the TSG-Noise group has

been circulated and discussed. The signal-processing group will meet and make

plans at the Hamburg Meeting. No delays are anticipated.

5.1.9. Action B3 to B9 Field surveys

This action consists of five identical IoPs for each action. IoP62-IoP67 will be

completed in next period. The field surveys are essential for one of the objectives

namely; assessing the soundscape for 2014. This will be the first assessment of

sound on a regional level in the EU. The preparatory actions are to a large extent

devoted to preparing activities for the field survey.

5.1.10. B10 Data analysis and quality assurance

This action consists of five IoPs. There is no IoP to be executed during the

period. The quality assurance is interlinked with the standards developed in

action B1 and B2. The latter has to be in existence before QA is established. The

data analysis will start when data is available. The analyses are dependent on

action B2, following the standards will assure that quality requirements are

fulfilled. Jukka Pajala at SYKE is responsible for this action. SYKE presented

the general idea/use of QA at the Helsinki meeting. QA will be further discussed

at the Hamburg meeting. No delays are anticipated.

5.1.11. B11 Modelling of soundscape

This action consists of four IoPs. IoP106 to be completed 30 November 2014.

The action was not started during the period, according to plan. The procurement

was established during the period but the final contract was not. The winner of

the tender is planned to be participating in the Hamburg meeting. According to

plan, the sub-contractor will cooperate with action A5 (Anna Nikolopoloulos at

AqB). No delays are anticipated.

5.1.12. B12 Design of GIS-based planning tool

This action consists of seven IoPs. IoP59 will be completed 31 October 2013.

The action was started at the Kick-off meeting where AB identified PoCs at the

authorities responsible for the implementation of D11 . During 2013 these

authorities will be approached to discuss/assess the national requirements. No

delays are anticipated.

5.1.13. B13 Establishment of implementation plan and implementation of GIS-

based planning tool

This action consists of three IoPs, of which the first, IoP135, is to be completed

31 July 2013. This action will follow when the national requirements have been


assessed within action B12. The action start date is 1 January 2015. No delays

are anticipated.

5.1.14. B14 Decision chain for management of underwater noise

This action consists of three IoPs. IoP69 to be completed 31 December 2013,

runs in parallel with IoP59 of action B12. IoP69 states that “Initial meeting with

concerned parties” during discussion with national authorities the decision

change of management will be investigated and knowledge gaps will be

identified. In BIAS SwAM, SYKE and BSH are regarded as concerned parties.

CB has frequent contacts with SwAM.

Already at the inception period BIAS has identified that thresholds values,

related to impulsive noise, is not specified by the TSG-Noise group. This status

will be highlighted as an essential gap that might cause disagreement in

implementation of D11.

No delays are anticipated.

5.1.15. B15 Data sharing platform

This action consists of three IoPs. IoP48 is to be completed 30 September 2013

and it states that a test version will be available. The data sharing platform has

been investigated by the CB. The size depends on what data that will be stored

and this in turn depends on what data that the Bs will supply. The final decision

on data sharing platform awaits the investigation on data handling that are done

in respective participating nation. To facilitate data sharing and the establishment

of a BIAS sharing platform a project room was started at the beginning of the

project. All Bs has access to this room. All data except raw data can be stored

there. No delays are anticipated.

5.1.16. C1 Monitoring of project impact

This action consists of four IoPs. IoP20 to be completed 28 February 2013,

which states that Indicators for monitoring of the project impact is established.

The “Indicators of the monitoring” was established in February 2013 and

published internally as a BIAS report (see Appendix 7.5). The current status is

described and the Indicators are established. The next step will be to approach

the authorities and the impact will be investigated on a yearly basis according to

the report. This action is run in parallel with B12 and B14. No delays are

anticipated.

5.1.17. C2 Socio-economic analysis

This action consists of three IoPs. IoP72 to be completed 28 February 2014. A

potential tenderer has been approached and a discussion on work tasks was done

in December 2012. A tender was received 2013-01-11 but it was not accepted.

The procurement will be done by direct treaty. The discussion will continue and

a contract is anticipated to be closed during spring 2013.

5.1.18. D1 Communication Strategy

This action consists of five IoPs. IoP15 and IoP24 should have been finished by

31 January 2013 and 31 March 2013, but both are delayed one month due to

being coordinated at the during Hamburg meeting in April. During the Helsinki


meeting the importance of communication was discussed and that a strategy was

going to be distributed and discussed at the Hamburg meeting (April 2013). It

was decided that during 2013 the Bs should make contact with either national

Fishery or national Ship Owners associations. The expected one month delay will

not affect the outcome of action D1 or the implementation of the project.

5.1.19. D2 Artistic Sound Installation

This action consists of four IoPs. IoP111 to be completed 31 December 2014. A

contract has not been closed with an artist. A potential sub-contractor has been

approached, which has shown interest to participate. Discussions are on-going on

procurement. The contract will be closed during spring 2013. This delay does not

affect the outcome of the action, due to the fact that the artist cannot start

working before data is being retrieved in March 2014 (at the earliest).

5.1.20. D3 Project Website

This action consists of nine IoPs. The website, IoP16; www.bias-project.eu

launched 21 December 2012. The other IoPs deals with updates every half year.

An improved version was launched 6 March 2013. The website is intimately

linked to BIAS facebook account, the news are published on facebook with a link

to the web site. The facebook account was launched 21 October 2012.

5.1.21. D4 Expert Communication

This action consists of four IoPs. Action D4 is directed towards

discussion/contacts with the expert community. IoP71; To be completed 31

December 2013. IoP113 to be completed 31 December 2014.

The project was presented at the TSG-Noise meeting in Dublin 3-4 October

2012. A short text has been produced to be included in the guidelines that the

TSG-Noise group will publish. Participation in two conferences is planned. The

first is the international conference on Underwater Acoustic Measurement

(UAM) (http://www.uam-conferences.org/, Kos, 23 - 28 June 2013) where BIAS

will participate in the poster session. The second is at “3rd

International

Conference on The effects of Noise on Aquatic Life, Budapest, 11-16 August

2013”, where an oral presentation has been submitted (http://www.an2013.org/).

BIAS was also presented with a poster at the MARMONI-project workshop

“Stakeholders as important actors in Marine Strategy Framework Directive

implementation: from decision makers to general public”, Tallin, 15-16

November 2012. BIAS was presented at GES-REG seminar

(http://gesreg.msi.ttu.ee/en) by SYKE and TUT.

5.1.22. D5 Layman’s report

This action consists of two IoPs. IoP163 to be completed 29 February 2016. This

action has not started.

5.1.23. D6. End-of-project workshop

This action consists of three IoPs. IoP165 to be completed 31 March 2016. This

action has not started.

5.1.24. E1Project Management

This action consists of 11 IoPs. These cover all the EC reporting such as the

Inception report, quarterly reports to project administrator and yearly reports. Al

http://www.bias-project.eu/

http://www.uam-conferences.org/

http://gesreg.msi.ttu.ee/en


Bs have delivered the 2012 report. All Bs have delivered the first quarterly

financial report for 2013. This action is following the plan and there is no

indication that there will be any delays.

5.1.25. E2 – E7 Project Management AB

This action consists of six IoPs. These are consistent with the IoPs of action E1.

All Bs have delivered reports in time according to the time plan. No delays are

foreseen.

5.1.26. E8 Project Monitoring

This action consists of five IoPs. IoP6; To establish a beneficiary monitoring

protocol, was completed in November 2012. The protocol was included in the

PA. The beneficiairy monitoring protocol and the IoP-list (see Appendix 7.3)

includes the same information. The IoP-list will be redistributed to all Bs at the

Hamburg meeting.

5.1.27. E9 Networking and platform meetings

This action consists of six IoPs all to be closed 30 September 2013, stating that

BIAS should organize one meeting during 2013 with the following stakeholders:

HELCOM (Jukka Pajala, SYKE)

OSPAR (Peter Sigray, FOI)

ICES (Peter Sigray, FOI)

ASCOBANS (Ursula Verfuss and Jakob Tougaard, ITAP and AU)

ACCOBAM (Ursula Verfuss and Jakob Tougaard, ITAP and AU)

SAMBAH (Peter Sigray, FOI)

Appointed BIAS PoCs given in parenthesis.

Peter Sigray is a member in the EC group TSG-Noise that is currently working

on new guidelines for implementation of the D11. The TSG-Noise members are

highly central in the development of the European implementation of D11. The

project coordinator has had several discussions on BIAS and its role in Europe

with this group. TSG-Noise explicitly asked BIAS to contribute to the guidelines.

BIAS has submitted text on Soundscape categories and general description of

BIAS, where the latter will most probably be included in the Guidelines. Several

discussions have taken place with the chairman of TSG-Noise, René Derkling.

Further several Members of the TSG-Noise group are also participating in

OSPAR.

Jukka Pajala and Peter Sigray had a meeting in Helsinki with HELCOM (Samuli

Korpinen and Herrmanni Backer). It should be noted that HELCOM has not been

permitted to deal with D11, due to member states not giving HELCOM the

allowance. During the meeting BIAS was presented to representatives of

HELCOM. It was underlined that BIAS should be regarded as a resource that

HELCOM can use for implementing D11 in the Baltic Sea. Further, the future

role of HELCOMs was discussed. Question on how BIAS could help HELCOM

in addressing D11 in the Baltic Sea region was raised. It was suggested by

HELCOM that BIAS is presented in HELCOMs newsletter. At the meeting

BIAS strongly supported the idea to push forward a coordination role of

HELCOM for D11.


OSPAR has been informed by SwAM on the BIAS project. SwAM has also

informed on the project activities and that the project results can be used in

OSPAR. Further, Peter Sigray (Coordinator of BIAS) is a member of the EIHA

group (Environmental Impacts of Human Activities) of OSPAR. The EIHA

group is dealing with questions related with D11. Peter Sigray has elevated the

important question on harmonizing OSPAR and HELCOM, to avoid different

interpretations and to avoid diverging guidelines.

Peter Sigray has been in contact with SAMBAH on several occasions. SAMBAH

and BIAS has started cooperation when it comes to informing stakeholders on

the projects. SAMBAH is both aware of and has deep knowledge of BIAS

objectives.

ASCOBANS will participate in SAMBAH workshop arranged in Gothenburg 15

April 2013. There BIAS will be presented in an oral presentation as part of FOI

projects dealing with marine environment.

ICES, and ACCOBAMS have not been contacted. The plan is to make contact

with them at latest during autumn 2013. No delays anticipated.

5.1.28. E10 External Audit

This action consists of one IoP to be completed 30 November 2016.

5.1.29. E11 After-Life communication plan

This action consists of two IOPs. IoP175 to be completed 31 August 2016. This

action has not been started. However, at the meeting with HELCOM the question

on housing the data-sharing platform after the end of the BIAS project was

raised. However HELCOM reluctantly rejected to house the raw data due to

limited data-storage resources.

The information for the report will be gathered later in the project. The After-

Life strategy depends to a large degree on the national authority’s

implementation plans. Action E11 will start 2015.

5.2. Envisaged progress until next report.

The focus of project activities will be on field surveys and standards. The

communication strategy will be developed further.

Actions C2 and D2 will be contracted

Crew members will acquire safety training

Signal processing group will arrange a workshop in autumn 2013 (date not

decided)

A three day workshop will be arranged in Hamburg (at the writing of the report

this workshop was arranged in April 2013)

BIAS will arrange a meeting in Budapest in August 2013 in conjunction with

an scientific acoustic conference

FOI will arrange a workshop on rig handling where sea trials will be arranged

in the Stockholm area, in the end of summer 2013

Telephone meetings will be held with the group working on standards


Action A1. The field survey group is working hard on preparing for the field

surveys. Estonia will procure their equipment during April. Rig designs will be

finished and tested. Ships will be appointed covering the survey period

Action A2. Discussions will continue on informing relevant authorities and

Navies. For Poland and Germany BIAS has to monitor the national decisions

on handling of D11

Action A3. Contracts. During next period C2, D2 and ship contracts will be

established

Action A4. Rigs will be designed and produced during summer 2013. FOI will

arrange a Rig workshop at the end of summer 2013 (date not decided). Work

on establishing calibration protocols will start in April 2013. The protocols will

be ready before the calibration of the sensors. Calibration of sensors is

preliminary planned to be performed in October 1013. All Bs have agreed to

send sensors to FOI

Action A5. The soundscape model input data on static parameters will be

collected and stored at AqB. Work is on-going to identify the optimal

suppliers. During spring and autumn 2013 the static data will be adapted for

action B11. The acquisition of dynamic parameters will have to be made

parallel to the field survey period. Hence, all acquisitions and data formats are

to be planned and tested before December 2013. HELCOM has been

contacted as a supplier of AIS data. AB will acquire VMS data on a national

basis

Action A6. All Bs have had the opportunity to specify the need for sea safety

training. In total 16 persons will attend the training in Mineturva Finland, 16

May 2013

Action B1. The drafting group for noise measurement standards will work

intensively during spring 2013. The draft is ready and will be reiterated during

spring. The drafting group will provide material to the group leader that will

compile the different contributions. A telephone meeting is planned in May

2013 to discuss the new document. The plan is to finish the Standards during

summer 2013.

Action B2. The signal processing group will have its first meeting in Hamburg.

It was decided in Helsinki that FOI will distribute recorded data from the

Baltic Sea that will used by all Bs to test processing tools. A workshop will be

arranged in September 2013 where processing tools will be established. An

inter-comparison event will be arranged during 2014 where tools and scripts

are compared (validation). In Helsinki it was decided that the programming

tool to be used is Matlab. It was also decided that all scripts and tools

developed will be freely accessible for all (including EC). Relevant acoustical

methods and entities will be established. During spring 2013 the group will

establish parameters that are relevant for sensors such as sampling rate, duty

cycle and starting time. During late autumn 2013 the group will focus on what

entities to establish (e.g. sound pressure level, sound exposure level, top levels,

spectrum, averages). Early spring 2014 the group will focus on how to

calculate the established entities (e.g. integration time, window length, and

window types). At the first retrieval there should be a set of scripts and tools to

use of analysing the measured data.

Action B3-B9. The fieldwork will start early December 2013. The sensors are

planned to start sampling last week of December. The success of the field

surveys depends on the preparatory actions. During the period draft


deployment positions have been established. Most equipment has arrived.

There will be a rig design workshop at the end of summer 2013. The

authorities handling permits have been approached. During spring-summer-

early autumn 2013 the focus of BIAS will be directed towards achieving

deployment in the first week of December 2013. For this reason a deployment

group has been established with participation from all beneficiaries. In early

summer ships will be procured or booked. By using the methodology outlined

in the soundscape category report the draft positions will be converted to a

transnational field survey plan by mainly using information on AIS and VMS.

Knowing the exact positions the permits will be acquired. Finally, the sensors

will be deployed. This was the initial plan in the proposal and we are confident

that this plan is on time. The deputy coordinator has been given the task to

coordinate these tasks and to be in contact with the ABs on a weekly basis. We

do not foresee any delays. All sensors will be synchronized so to sample at the

same time making correlation analysis possible. The sensors will be operating

during three months, then retrieved and redeployed. During the next period

four deployments will be accomplished.

Action B10. Tools for quality control will be developed during spring and

autumn 2013. Tools for handling of rigs will be presented at the Hamburg

meeting. The tools for handling of sensors and data await standards to be

established in action B1 (ready during spring 2013). Then standards tools will

be established for quality assurance and tested at the deployments (starting

December 2013). This action will also include the tools developed in action

B2.

Action B11. The Contractor (during the time of writing of the Inception report

the contract was awarded Quiet Oceans) of B11 will participate in the

Hamburg meeting. Spring 2013 will be dedicated to two specific tasks; to

specify data formats for data delivered by AqB (action A5), and to change the

numerical code of the model to handle ice cover. During spring and autumn

2013 QO will cooperate with AqB to assure that input data (for modelling) is

delivered in the right format. During December 2013 QO will make a test run,

implement ice cover and produce seasonal soundscapes. A quality check will

follow. During 2014 the database will be updated and un-calibrated seasonal

soundscape maps will be produced.

Action B12. AqB and CB will assess the requirements of the national

authorities on the GIS planning tool and its implementation by 31 December

2013 (IoP68). All authorities will be approached by various means before 31

October 2013 (IoP59); SwAM will be approached by AqB and CB. SYKE will

establish the Finnish requirements. Together with AqB and CB, TUT and AU

will be involved in the assessment of the national requirements for Estonia and

Denmark, respectively. A plan for handling the involved authorities in

Germany will be established at the Hamburg meeting in close cooperation with

BSH, Poland will monitor the national development and approach authorities

after it has been decided who is responsible for D11 in Poland. The draft of the

GIS planning tool will itself be initiated in spring 2013 and developed in

parallel to the recurrent input from the national authorities during 2014

(IoP110).

Action B13. This action will start 1 January 2015. Contact with SwAM will,

however, be initiated earlier (within action B12). A draft implementation plan

will be established during the first half of 2015 (IoP135).


Action B14. This action identifies gaps in the DPSIR chain (DPSIR is a

framework describing interaction between society and environment where the

abbreviation stands for: Driving force, Pressures, States, Impacts and

Responses). During 2013 SwAM, SYKE and BSH will be approached and

gaps will be identified internally in BIAS. We have already indications that

gaps will be identified in establishing regional thresholds values and raw data

release. These can, however, be handled. BIAS acts actively to implement the

same thresholds value in the region.

Action B15. The design of the joint data-sharing platform depends to a large

extent on the allowance to release raw data, which at the point of the writing of

the inception report has not been sorted out. At the moment the project utilizes

a “project room” as data-storing platform where data, results and reports are

stored. It can however not hold raw data. If raw data is not released by the

nations, the data storage capacity has to be moderately large, compared to joint

storage of all raw data in one location. In a meeting with HELCOM the

question was raised if they could host a data-sharing platform in the future.

HELCOM was not willing to deal with large data storages. Due to several

nations not willing to share raw data it seems likely that raw data handling will

be dealt on a national base. The data-sharing platform will handle refined data

such as weekly averages. The platform will also store data established in A5 as

well as reports produced by BIAS. A third use will be to handle the registry of

indicator 1 of D11. The release of raw data will be settled during

spring/summer 2013. This in turn will influence the decision of local or

regional storage of raw data. When this question is settled FOI will establish a

data sharing platform that will be used by all Bs. This will also be part of the

after-life of BIAS as well as transferred to an end owner.

Action C1. The Monitoring Protocol of the Impact is established as a list of

questions that will be investigated on a yearly basis. The questions are related

to awareness and knowledge of BIAS objectives. During 2013 the national

authorities will be approached (Poland might be an exception depending on the

national status not being established) by the BIAS beneficiaries.

Action C2. The contract will be closed during spring 2013 with a sub-

contractor that will perform the analysis.

Action D1. The main events during 2013 are that all Bs will approach either

national ship owners or fishermen organisations to inform about BIAS

objectives. The CB will approach HELCOM to write a short text to be

published in their Newsletter. CB will also approach the Swedish Ship Owners

association to publish information on BIAS. CB will also participate in the

Swedish Maritime Days to orally inform on BIAS and underwater sound.

BIAS will be presented at UAM conference and an abstract on BIAS is

submitted to 3rd

conference on the effects of noise on aquatic life. CB has been

contacted by the national Swedish Radio, who plans to make a story on BIAS.

During the next period ICES and RAC will be approached as well as Latvia

and Russia.

Action D2. The contract will be closed during spring 2013. The artist will be

introduced to the BIAS project and to Quiet Oceans. The latter has been

contracted to cooperate with the artist. The artist will be given the opportunity

to start working with data that are retrieved on the first retrieval cruise.


Action D3. The project web site is planned to be up-dated at least every third

week. The web-site is intimately connected to the facebook account. The latter

has been updated every second week since it was started.

Action D4. BIAS will be presented at two conferences during 2013, namely

UAM and 3rd

international conference on the effects of noise on aquatic life. It

is planned to have a BIAS project meeting in conjunction with the conference.

Action D5. This action will be started during 2016.

Action D6. This action will be started during 2016.

Action E1. This action is running continuously. An administrator group has

been established (see organigramme) that will meet regularly to discuss

administrative issues and to harmonize the reporting. AqB is leading the group.

The co-ordinator will have weekly meetings face-by-face with the

administrator from AqB. To facilitate the information exchange the

administrator will be situated at the co-ordinators office at least one day per

week. The administrator is available by phone all weekdays. Quarterly

financial reporting from ABs will continue and the AqB will continue checking

them. The co-ordinator will plan for the activities of the project, to ensure that

the project is in pace with the plan. During next period emphasis will be on

meetings, workshops, and outreach. Notably is that all questions related to

administration and Common Provisions is handled by AqB. This division of

work results in coordinator having time to deal with the project actions instead

of spending time answering e-mails.

Action E2-E7. The Bs administrators will continue to work with reporting as

well as ensure that the Common Provisions are followed. They will continue to

handle the reporting forms and time sheets. They will send quarterly reports to

the CB (handled by AqB) and reports related to Mid-term report.

Action E8. The CB will use the IoP-list to ensure that the project produce

according to the proposal as well as keeping to the time plan. This action is

essential for the co-ordination of the project and the IoP-list will be used in the

daily running of the project. The IoP-list will be updated during the next period

to include Milestones and Deliverables.

E9. During the next period ICES, ASCOBANS, and ACCOBAM will be

approached. All three organisations will be contacted by phone or mail and, if

possible, meetings will be arranged. During the Inception period HELCOM

and SAMBAH were contacted. Contacts were established and BIAS (through

SYKE) is regularly in contact with HELCOM. BIAS is closely monitoring the

development of the Ministry meetings where indications show that HELCOM

might start dealing with D11. AU is planning for meetings during 2013 with

Danish Nature Agency, Danish Maritime Authorities, Danish Energy Agency,

Danish Ship-Owners Association and Danish Nature Agency’s working group

for marine mammals. General press release in connection to the first

deployment of instruments is planned. TUT is planning for a BIAS project

meeting in Tallinn in November 2013, a short course "Applied underwater

acoustics" during Autumn 2013 - Spring 2014, and BIAS seminar for Estonian

project partners in Spring 2014.

Action E10. External Audit will be done in 2016.

Action E11. Discussions with ICES will be arranged where BIAS will suggest

that ICES could be the future owner of the raw sound data and publish the

soundscape maps. The end-user will depend on the development of

HELCOM’s role. The communication plan will be compiled in 2016.


The Gantt-scheme below shows that the project is in line with the proposal except for C2

and D2. Tasks/

Activities

2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

1T 2T 3T 4T 1T 2T 3T 4T 1T 2T 3T 4T 1T 2T 3T 4T 1T 2T 3T 4T

Overall project schedule

Proposed

O

X

X

X

O

Actual O X X X O

Action A1 Proposed

Actual

Action A2

Proposed

Actual

Action A3

Proposed

Actual

Action A4 Proposed

Actual

Action A5 Proposed

Actual

Action A6 Proposed

Actual

Action B1 Proposed

Actual

Tasks/

Activities

2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

1T 2T 3T 4T 1T 2T 3T 4T 1T 2T 3T 4T 1T 2T 3T 4T 1T 2T 3T 4T

Action B2 Proposed

Actual

Action B3-B9 Proposed

Actual

Action B10 Proposed

Actual

Action B11 Proposed

Actual

Action B12 Proposed

Actual

Action B13 Proposed

Actual

Action B14 Proposed

Actual

Action B15 Proposed

Actual

Action C1 Proposed

Mid-Term

End date

X=Progress reports

Start date


Actual

Action C2 Proposed

Actual

Action D1 Proposed

Actual

Action D2 Proposed

Actual

Action D3 Proposed

Actual

Action D4 Proposed

Actual

Action D5 Proposed

Actual

Action D6 Proposed

Actual

Action E1-E7 Proposed

Actual

Action E8 Proposed

Actual

Action E9 Proposed

Actual

Action E10 Proposed

Actual

Action E11 Proposed

Actual

6. Annexes

6.1. Deliverables/Milestones

6.2. Indicators of Progress.

6.3. Time plan

6.4. Indicator action C1 Indicators for Monitoring of the project impact

on management of underwater noise

6.5. Indicator action A1 Draft Deployment Plan

6.6. Indicator action D1 Proactive Communication Strategy


6.1 Deliverables/Milestones

Deliverables

Milestones

life+11 env/se/841 inception report covering the … · life project number life+11 env/se/841...

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