We distinguish between “sand and gravel extraction” and “dredging” for MSP Challenge purposes. We define the first as the extraction of materials for coastal protection or construction, while dredging is defined as having the purpose of maintaining navigability.
Sand and gravel extraction can occur inland but is more common at sea. Generally, sand extraction is more common than gravel extraction.
Sand & Gravel Extraction contribute to the following pressures on the ecosystem:
Return to shipping.
According to the "Noordzeeloket", organisations with a permit can extract sand and gravel seawards from -20m depth isoline. About 12 million m3 sand per year is used to maintain the coast and 13 million m3 per year as filling material onshore (Noordzeeloket, accessed on 2022/04/25).
Not applicable.
Rijkswaterstaat data drawn by hand to incorporate in a previous version of the MSP Challenge in combination with data from the noordzeeatlas (pdf format).
Not available.
Joint layer created on 2018/03.
Updated the previously digitalized version of the layer with data from Rijkswaterstaat with data from the noordzee atlas (also drawn by hand).
HELCOM HOLAS II Dataset: Extraction of sand and gravel (2017)
Extraction of sand and gravel
"The dataset contains sand and gravel extraction activity during 2011–2015. The dataset is based on data submission by HELCOM Contacting Parties in response to data request. The dataset is quality assured and contains data from all the Baltic Sea countries. Common extraction sites with information on volume of extraction was included in the dataset. The other extraction sites (building sites, exclusive sites) had only summed data for all the sites, as volumes of extraction in specific sites was classified as confidential information. For these sites the volumes was calculated from reported sum of "other extraction areas". The amount was equally divided between corresponding extraction areas. For some common extraction sites a shared amount was reported."
Description retrieved from HELCOM's metadata page for this resource (2021-07-19).
2018-01-15
Edited as to not overlap the countries' layer implemented in the platform.
The Sand and Gravel Extraction layer in the Western Baltic Sea Edition remains consistent with that featured in the Baltic Sea edition.
This datalayer is not available on the Clyde Marine Region.
None
Italy: tools4msp
Other countries: tools4msp-eu -GAIR
Italy: Offshore sand deposits (requests of concession)
Other countries: Not available.
Italy: "The Adriatic studied sand deposits map with two layers: a)The potentially sand resources(offhore sand deposits); b) the dredged areas already expoited (offshore sand dredged). During the last decades the increasing amount of data acquired by ISMAR CNR provides unique opportunities to summarize knowledge of geology and shelf geomorphology with existing geotechnical and geophysical data that facilitate identification of sand resources. The volume of the entire potental fine sand available reservoir outcropping in the italian portion of the adriatic shelf seafloor has been extimated in ca. 270 x106 cubic metres. The amount of dredged material used costal nourishment in Adriatic since 1996 is 9.9 x106 cubic metres."
Description retrieved from tools4msp (2023-05-15).
Italy: 2014-09-29
Other countries: Not available
Data layer implemented as provided by project partners.
This layer is not present in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea.
Co-funded by the European Union.