16 
BSH kompakt 
INDISPENSABLE 
Monitoring for a healthy ecosystem 
2007 
10 monitoring and research cruises 
for a physical and ecological as 
sessment of the North and Baltic 
Seas, also with regard to possi 
ble impacts of climate change; 
Measurement of oceanographic 
environmental variables at the 
FINO 1 research platform (40 km 
north of Borkum) and technical 
preparations for environmental 
measurements at the new FINO 
3 platform (140 km north-west 
of Sylt); 
Continued upgrading of the marine 
monitoring network MARNET, in 
cluding general overhaul of NSBII 
(North Sea buoy); 
BSH participation in the EU project 
ECOOP for the development of 
an oceanographic data manage 
ment system, and the EU project 
SeaDataNet for the development 
of an oceanographic network of 
data centres; 
Secretariat functions within the 
framework of the federal and 
state monitoring programme for 
the marine environment of the 
North and Baltic Seas (BLMP). 
Environmental studies are 
indispensable to understanding 
natural processes in the marine 
environment. To what extent are 
the North and Baltic Seas exposed 
to pollution that might affect their 
ecological balance? How does the 
ecosystem react to changes, e. g. 
novel marine uses? To answer these 
questions, developments have to 
monitored and analysed continually. 
The BSH routinely monitors the North 
Sea and Baltic Sea for pollutant 
and nutrient loads. Samples of 
water, suspended particulate 
matter, and sediment collected by 
its scientists during research and 
monitoring cruises are analysed at 
the BSH’s laboratory. The results, 
and data from the BSH’s automated 
monitoring network - i. e. physical 
variables like currents, wave heights, 
salinity, temperatures, radioactivity, 
nutrient and oxygen levels, and 
meteorological parameters - enable 
the status of the North Sea and Baltic 
Sea to be assessed and, in the longer 
term, causal factors to be identified. 
On the whole, investigations in the 
North Sea have indicated a clear 
decrease in the concentrations of 
many pollutants and nutrients, which 
are much lower today than they were 
20 years ago. A similar environmental 
situation is encountered in the 
Baltic Sea, whose natural features 
render it particularly sensitive. The 
biggest problem in this area still is 
eutrophication caused by nutrient 
input, which increases the frequency 
and intensity of plankton blooms, 
causing additional oxygen depletion. 
MAR N ET-Stationsnetz 
MARNET monitoring stations