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FAQs

Can I join part way through a scheme year?

Yes, its is possible to join the scheme at any stage in the year. Any components distributed in the scheme year before membership was taken out, however, would not be available.

Who can join?

Anyone carrying out marine biological work such as epibiota, benthic invertebrate, macroalgae, phytoplankton and fish identification.
It is a DEFRA requirement that any consultant wishing to tender for marine biological work from government agencies (Environment Agency, SEPA, EHS NI, CEFAS, AFBI NI, FRS and the countryside agencies) must be a member of a quality control scheme to be considered.

What are the drivers for the scheme?

See “About the Scheme”.
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What is BEQUALM?

The Biological Effects Quality Assurance in Monitoring Programmes (BEQUALM) began as an EU funded project November 1998, its main purpose to develop a quality assurance (QA) scheme for marine biological effects monitoring techniques, which would eventually become self-funding. Under the EU phase, QA/QC procedures were developed by expert laboratories for a number of biological effects measurements. The research programme was completed in April 2002 and in September 2004 the BEQUALM self-funded scheme was launched.

The scheme comprises three components:

  • Whole Organism (bioassays and fish disease) - led by the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas)

  • Biomarkers – led by the Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA)

  • Community Analysis –led by the UK National Marine Biological Analytical Quality Control Scheme (NMBAQC) for benthic community and the Marine Institute, Galway for phytoplankton assemblage analysis.

The BEQUALM Project Office (Cefas) acts as the overall administrative and co-ordinating centre for the whole scheme.

www.bequalm.org