Environmental status of the Skagerak and North Sea 2000

Abstract

An environmental status for year 2000 of the North Sea and Skagerrak has been done based on outputs from a biophysicaf model (NORWECOM). The model results suggests that in year 2000 the mean annua1 primary production in the North Sea was the highest in the period 1985-2000, and that the net inflow through the English Channel, due to an extreme strong influx in the fourth quarter, was the highest on an annua1 basis in the period 1955-2000. Also the oxygen levels and sedimentation rates in the North Sea and Skagerrak have been examined, and a eutrophication assessment conclude that, except for the winter values of nitrate, eutrophication is not a big problem in most of the Skagerrak and Kattegat area. Key words : Skagerrak, North Sea, environmental status NORSK SAMMENDRAG: En koblet fysisk, kjemisk og biologisk havmodell (NORWECOM) er brukt for å simulere år 2000 i Nordsjøen og Skagerrak. Resultatene fra denne modelkjøringen er så brukt for å lage en miljøstatus for dette året. I statusen presenteres blant annet verdier for primærproduksjon, oxygen-nivå, sedimenteringsrate og vanntransport inn til Nordsjøen. Til slutt blir det gitt en vurdering av eutrofieringsgraden i Skage- rak og Kattegat basert på referanseverdier foreslått av svenske miljøstyresmakter.