To ensure harmonised seabed mapping over large areas and to facilitate the exchange of information, a common geological knowledge base is being developed for the southern part of the North Sea. Data, sustaining this marine geological database, originate from a variety of sources, including the industry. Related to the seabed and its subsurface, two main databases are being compiled: one comprising all available lithological descriptions and one with all numerical grain-size information. To enable standardisation of the data and make them easily queryable, non-numerical descriptions are being coded to an international standard (EU FP7 Geo-Seas), of which the Udden-Wentworth scale is the main classifier. Several other parameters were derived, such as percentages mud, sand, gravel, shells and organic material. For the second database, cumulative grain-size distribution curves were compiled, enabling calculations of any desired granulometry parameter, such as percentages of the grain-size fractions (fine, medium, coarse sand) and percentiles that are relevant in seabed-habitat mapping or sediment-transport modelling (D35, D50, D84). To quantify data uncertainty in the derived data products, metadata on sampling and coring techniques, analytical methods, horizontal and vertical positioning accuracy and the exact timing of data acquisition were included. These metadata fields are also crucial in the quantification of habitat changes, a key issue in the assessment of good environmental status within Europe’s Marine Strategy Framework Directive. The newly developed database and its associated data products contribute to the objectives of the projects TILES (Belspo Brain-be), EMODnet-Geology (EU DG MARE), and ZAGRI (private revenues from the marine-aggregate industry).
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The INTERCEPT project maps the current situation of monitoring (exotic) animal product imports from third countries into Belgium, highlighting both the legal and illegal aspects of the trade and its implications for public and animal health. Recommendations are being drafted to move towards a more robust framework for long-term monitoring including a centralized database that integrates data from various federal services and agencies to gain a better overview of the trade and to promote the dissemination of crucial information among federal services, agencies, and stakeholders. The project also aims to introduce a secure and efficient sampling method for officials, along with a molecular species identification pipeline for researchers, which will enable rapid DNA-based identification of illegally imported meat. During this project, over 600 specimens have been sampled from intercepted meat from passenger’s luggage at Brussels Airport, of which more than 500 samples have so far been identified using DNA barcoding and screened for orthopoxviruses. Metagenomic DNA and RNA sequencing is ongoing for a selection of samples pooled per DNA-confirmed species, preparation method (raw vs. cooked), and, when possible, region of origin. By fostering collaboration among scientific institutions and federal agencies, this initiative aims to inform border control measures and will support future research into pathogens carried by both domestic and exotic meat, allowing better characterisation of the health risks associated with the illegal import of meat from third countries.
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RBINS Staff Publications 2025
