A new report from the Research Group for the North Sea and Skagerrak indicates that this sea area is far more affected by human activity than the Norwegian Sea or the Barents Sea.
There is considerable fishing activity and large quantities of seafood are harvested from the North Sea and Skagerrak. A great deal of oil and gas is extracted and this sea area is one of the busiest for shipping in the world. About 40 per cent of Norway's population lives in municipalities that have a coastline onto this sea area and many of them use the sea for recreation.
– The North Sea and Skagerrak have both considerable environmental values and resources and considerable environmental challenges. Norway has a special responsibility for taking care of this area. It is therefore important that we find out more about the ecosystem and its vulnerability, so that we can manage this sea area in a sustainable and consistent manner, says Ellen Hambro, director of the Climate and Pollution Agency (Klif).
Read the complete press-release at the Climate and Pollution Agency