OSPAR guidelines

OSPAR (2004a). Revised OSPAR Guidelines for the Management of Dredged Material. Document 2004-08. 

Euro Chlor (1998) Guidelines for Making a Mercury Balance in a Chlorine Plant (Env.Prot.12, 2nd edition, July). See also OSPAR Document WOCAI 99/4/4 (Madrid, 1999). 

Bowmer, C.T. (1993). Method for the assessment of acute toxicity of contaminated sediment using the burrowing heart vachm Echinocardium cordatum. Test Guideline for OSPAR sediment reworker ring test. Report IMW R93/317. 

OSPAR. 1997. JAMP guidelines for the sampling and analysis of mercury in air and precipitation. London. 

Table 3.6.2 Assessment classes for Nucella lapillus Vas Deferens Sequence Index (VDSI) used in the OSPAR monitoring guideline (OSPAR agreement 2004-15) and the equivalent impact category for assessment in the Water Framework Directive (WFD)...

Acartia tonsa (Dana). A. tonsa immobilisation tests were conducted following the general guidelines of the ISO TC147/SC5/WG2 protocol, using procedures recommended by the Oslo and Paris Commissions (OSPAR) to provide data for hazard assessment of chemicals intended for use in the North Sea by the offshore oil and gas industry (MAFF, 1994, 1996). 

Guidance on sampling can be found in the ISO Standard on Water Quality -Sampling 5667 (http //www.iso.org), and for the marine environment in the guidelines for the Joint Assessment and Monitoring Programme (JAMP) of OSPAR (http //www. ospar.org) or in the HELCOM COMBINE Manual (http //www.helcom.fi). 

OSPAR (1999) JAMP guidelines for monitoring contaminants in biota, http //www.ospar. org/asp/ospar/dra.asp id=l 1. 

The similarities between the parameters are obvious. The only thing that remains to be assmed is that the methods used for the measurement of these parameters will give the same results. Only in this way can a serious duplication of efforts be avoided. True to its principles, OSPAR has a number of clear monitoring guidelines to assist in eutrophication monitoring and assessment. These are ... 

JAMP Guidelines on Quality Assurance for Biological Monitoring in the OSPAR... 

As far as the actual sampling and analysis is concerned, a high level of harmonisation can be expected simply because of the scientific consensus that exists on these matters. As was mentioned earlier, OSPAR has quite detailed guidelines on these topics, and these, as well as the HELCOM COMBINE guidelines, have been taken up in the proposed technical guidelines for WFD monitoring (European Commission, 2007). 

At the international level, regulations concerning dredged material and contaminated sediments are part of the Oslo and Paris (OSPAR), the Helsinki and the London Convention. The OSPAR Commission is of importance in setting guidelines for the disposal of dredged material in the marine environment, which are reflected in national criteria for disposal. It is expected that OSPAR will continue in this role. The feed-back system from contaminated sediments to the reduction of emission needs to be improved. 

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