Marine aggregate extraction activities, using small (2.500m3) to large (> 10.000m3) trailer suction hopper dredgers, pressurize quasi-continuous the marine ecosystem of the Belgian part of the North Sea. Since the concession zones are within a Habitat Directive Area, or nearby, potential near- and far-field impacts need investigation. Results indicated that, after 2-yrs of intensive extraction along the far offshore coarse-grained sandbanks, some fining trend was observed in the upper seabed. In the Habitat Directive area, mud enrichment has been observed over 3 consecutive years. Hitherto, no direct link can be made with the extraction activities, though the area is further monitored to assess changes in seafloor integrity.

Abstract of an Oral Presentation or a Poster