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The North Sea covers an area of 750 000 km2 . Although ranges in depth from 30 to 725 metres, most of the area is quite shallow, with an average depth of only 90 m. It is considered one of the most productive seas in the world, with a broad diversity of plankton, fish, seabirds, and organisms that live on the seafloor. The North Sea is also of great socio-economic value due to its fisheries, oil and gas extraction, harbours and industry – which in turn have made it one of the busiest and most highly disturbed seas in the world. The most negative impacts on biodiversity in the North Sea are due to fisheries and eutrophication, in addition to a long list of other threats, including: pollution from domestic and industrial sources; maritime shipping; infrastructure such as oil and gas platforms, wind energy parks, cables, and pipelines; coastal development; and military training. |
