Protecting the North Sea: Norway
A high resolution version of this report can be downloaded here.
Legacy: 2017: North Sea Expedition
Protecting the North Sea: Northern Danish Waters
A high resolution version of this report can be found here.
Protecting the North Sea: Holderness
A high resolution version of this report can be found here.
Protecting the North Sea: Cleaver Bank
A high resolution version of this report can be found here.
UK becomes ocean champion with 41 new Marine Conservation Zones
The UK government has announced today that it will create 41 new Marine Conservation Zones (MCZs), taking the new total of MCZs in the UK to 91 Zones, which together cover 32,000 km² (over 12.300 square miles). The move to designate more sites in British waters is welcomed by marine conservation organisation Oceana, and … Read more
Sabellaria reefs: ugly and fragile, yet incredibly important emblems of Dutch waters
‘Beauty is in the eye of the beholder,’ an old adage says. This phrase is even more relevant when talking about hidden gems lying in sea-bottom areas of the North Sea, which many consider to be a cold and dark sea, composed of murky waters and dull animals living in it. In 2016, Oceana Europe’s … Read more
Oceana and North Sea Foundation call for protection of rare reefs found during underwater research
Oceana and the North Sea Foundation call for the designation of the Brown Bank as a marine protected area, after having discovered fragile and ecologically important Sabellaria worm reefs in Dutch waters. These rare biodiversity hotspots are home to a diverse fauna, and were believed to have disappeared from the Netherlands. The Brown Bank is … Read more
Discovery of Sabellaria spinulosa reefs in an intensively fished area of the Dutch Continental Shelf, North Sea
Abstract The tube-building polychaete Sabellaria spinulosa (Ross worm) can form conspicuous biogenic reefs that stabilize the seabed and increase biodiversity by providing a habitat for a multitude of other species. These reefs, however, are assumed to be vulnerable to human-induced physical disturbances of the seabed. In the Greater North Sea, S. spinulosa reefs are recognized to be under threat … Read more
Filling gaps in knowledge of North Sea benthic biodiversity
The North Sea is one of the best-studied marine areas in the world, yet serious gaps remain in the knowledge -and therefore also in the protection- of its benthic biodiversity. Although the current network of marine protected areas (MPAs) covers roughly 22% of the North Sea, most of the MPAs are designed to target only … Read more
World Oceans Day aboard the Ranger
Today we wanted to celebrate World Oceans Day from 1000 meters below the surface working with the Remote-Operated Vehicle (ROV). But the sea had different plans for us: She asked us to rest for a while. The wind and the swell increased and we could not do much. Although this weather makes life onboard uncomfortable, … Read more
