Data on litter on the seabed in deep waters was extrapolated from photographs of marine litter collected through the different sessions of the MEDITS international bottom trawl surveys conducted between the years of 2012 - 2017. Litter items were classified in accordance with the MSFD classification as prepared by the MSFD GES Technical Subgroup on Marine Litter in the Guidance Document, ‘Guidance on Monitoring of Marine Litter in European Seas’.

The survey was conducted at 17 stations in the coastal waters of the Maltese Islands in 2012. Sediment samples were collected using a Van Veen grab sampler. The collected sediment was collected in a container of adequate size, photographed and immediately sampled. At each station two samples were collected in order to execute and compare two chemical analyses. These were placed in a cool box and transported to the warehouse and stored in a refrigerator. Later, they were shipped by express courier to the laboratory within 3 working days. The samples were analysed for the level of pollutants using International Organization for Standardization and US Environmental Protection Agency standard procedures. The pollutants tested for are important metals, hydrocarbons and PAHs and persistent organic compounds that can cause bioaccumulation. The measurements were made in connection with a monitoring survey of Maltese coastal waters. The resultant datasets generated provide the benchmark for long term monitoring programs and assessments that are required in order to implement EU Directives on water resources.

Coastal CTD profiles over the Mediterranean Sea (Lampedusa)

The Sediments Baseline Survey was conducted in 10 inland water bodies. The samples were collected between 29th May and 6th June 2013. Two replicate samples of superficial (up to 10 cm depth) sediments were collected from each station using pre-treated samplers. Where water was sufficiently shallow, sediments were collected by hand using a core sampler, while in locations where water bodies were deep, sediment was collected using a hand-held stainless steel grab. The pollutants tested for include the list of priority substances and other pollutants as stipulated in the Environmental Quality Standard Directive (2008/105/EC). Chemical analyses of sediment samples for all parameters analysed were carried out according to standard methodology at CADA Laboratories s.n.c. (Italy), which are accredited according to ACCREDIA 2 CEN/ISO 17025 certification.

This data includes the location of cages used for aquaculture in Maltese waters. The cages which are close to the shore are used for the breeding, rearing and harvesting of fish from egg to adult. This process, called close cycle aquaculture, is used to breed fish, such as sea bream (Sparus aurata), European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) and common meagre (Argyrosomus reglus). Other cages, which are more distant from the coast, are used to keep Atlantic Bluefin Tuna which is caught in the wild. These fish are fed for a months until they are big enough to be harvested and sold.

The survey was conducted at 12 stations in the coastal waters of the Maltese Islands over a period of one year between May 2012 and July 2013. Sea water samples were collected at a depth of 5 metres using a Niskin bottle. These were transported to the laboratory in appropriate containers, where they were analysed for the level of pollutants using International Organization for Standardization and US Environmental Protection Agency standard procedures. The pollutants tested for are Priority substances and are divided into oils and miscellaneous. All stations were tested for oils, while only 9 stations were tested for miscellaneous pollutants. The measurements were made in connection with a monitoring survey of Maltese coastal waters. The resultant datasets generated provide the benchmark for long term monitoring programs and assessments that are required in order to implement EU Directives on water resources.

The survey was conducted at 26 stations in the coastal waters of the Maltese Islands over a period of one year between May 2012 and July 2013. Sea water samples were collected at 5 metres using a Niskin bottle. Nitrites, nitrates and Total Nitrogen were calculated on site using a probe and photometer, since these have a short holding time. They were then verified in the laboratory, where the other parameters were also measured, using the following methods: UNI EN ISO 10304-1:2009 (for Nitrites. Nitrates and Phosphates), APAT CNR IRSA 4060 Man 29 2003 (for Total Nitrogen), APAT CNR IRSA 4030B Man 29 2003 (for Ammonium Ions) and EPA 2007 1994 (for Total Phosphorous as P).

The survey was conducted at 26 stations in the coastal waters of the Maltese Islands. The pollutant levels were measured during a pilot survey and then once (in two replicates) over the period between 30th May 2012 and 7th August 2012. During the surveys, samples of P. oceanica were collected from representative areas along the Maltese coast, and shipped to a laboratory in Italy for analysis according to the following procedures: UNI EN 15763:2010 (for Mercury); UNI EN 15662:2009 (for Hexachlorobenzene); EPA 5021A 2003 + EPA 8260C 2006 (for Hexachlorobutadiene). The measurements were made in connection with a monitoring survey of Maltese coastal waters. The resultant datasets generated provide the benchmark for long term monitoring programs and assessments that are required to implement EU Directives on water resources.

This data includes the location of submarine cables that originate from or pass through Maltese Waters.

The Anomcity_2015 cruise, onboard the Italian R/V Minerva Uno, took place from May 29 to June 11 2015 (Leg I: 29/5-4/6/15 Leg II: 4/6-11/6/15). The cruise was dedicated to the study of micro-pollutant transfer from the shelf to the open sea. Selected sampling areas: the Tyrrhenian Sea, the Strait of Sicily and the marine areas close to the cities of Milazzo, Taranto, Augusta, Tirreno e Napoli. Sampling techniques: CTD, bottom grabs, box corer, multibeam, CHIRP, sparker and magnetometer. The CTD profiles of this dataset include temperature, salinity, fluorescence, oxygen and pH (one station only) and were measured in 27 stations with a SeaBird Electronics, Inc. 911 PLUS CTD system.