Impulsive or transient sounds of short duration and of high intensity constitute one of the criteria for defining good ecological status for descriptor 11 relating to the pressure of noise generated by human activities within the framework of the MSFD (D11C1). Good ecological status for sound energy is achieved when the risks of acoustic disturbance, excess mortality from sound exposure and reduction in communication distances of mysticetes are cumulatively low or moderate. For this, the spatial distribution, the temporal extent and the acoustic levels of the sources of anthropogenic impulsive sound must not exceed the levels harmful to the populations of marine animals. These criteria are evaluated at the scale of the marine sub-region for the “English Channel and North Sea”, “Celtic Seas” and “Western Mediterranean” regions; and at the scale of the "North" and "South" subdivisions in the "Bay of Biscay" sub-region. One of the indicators selected for the evaluation of criterion D11C1 is the distribution of the acoustic levels of impulsive emissions (D11C1.3). The pressures considered for the evaluation of the criterion are: acoustic emissions from air guns ; acoustic emissions from impulsive sources other than air guns ; emissions from non-impulsive (transient) sources ; underwater explosions ; emissions due to pile driving. The data used for the calculation of this indicator are declarative emissions data traced by the operators of the activities generating impulsive noise.

"Rechargement des plages à partir de matériaux dragués" contient des données surfaciques estimées à partir des enquêtes dragage du CEREMA.