Report | January 24, 2020
Protecting the North Sea: Northern Danish Waters
The northern waters of the Danish North Sea extend from the west coast of the northern part of the Jutland peninsula, northwards to the Skagerrak, and westwards to the north-western banks of Little Fisher Bank and Jutland Bank (Lillefiskerbanke and Jyske Rev, respectively, in Danish). These waters cover a wide range of depths and seabed types, and are characterised by higher biodiversity levels than many other parts of the North Sea, with a richness of benthic communities that comprise hundreds of species.
While some biodiversity hotspots, such as stone reefs and bubbling reefs, are known to occur within the Danish waters of the North Sea, relatively little is known about benthic assemblages across much of its offshore waters. To help fill this information gap, Oceana conducted two research expeditions, in 2016 and 2017, to gather information about marine life on the seabed. The findings of those surveys are presented in this report, in the broader context of the biodiversity of the area and the threats it faces, and the need for its protection.
A high resolution version of this report can be found here.

