BSH kompakt 
31 
2005 
• 13 monitoring cruises to take 
samples of water, suspended 
matter, and sediment 
• 4-week GAUSS cruise to 
assess the physical and ecolo 
gical status of the North Sea 
• 19 cruises to carry out 
maintenance of the marine 
environmental monitoring 
network MARNET 
• Publication of Federal/state 
monitoring report on the mari 
ne envi ronment 1999 - 2002; 
• Issue of BSH report “Nord- 
seezustand 2003” (status of the 
North Sea in 2003) 
• Topping-out ceremony at the 
BSH’s new laboratory building 
in Hamburg-Sillldorf 
• Completion of an EU project 
linking marine monitoring 
systems in the Baltic region 
• Contribution of 15 deep-sea 
drifters to the international 
ocean observing programme 
ARGO 
• Co-operation with industry 
in the development of novel 
technologies for ballast water 
treatment 
ENVIRONMENTALLY AWARE 
Protection of the marine ecosystem 
Although there have been first signs of recovery, the state of the oceans still 
gives cause for concern. Therefore, thorough environmental monitoring 
is a necessity - and constitutes another piece in the mosaic of the BSH‘s 
manifold tasks. To protect the oceans, you must have a complete understanding 
of the processes taking place. What are the immediate and long-term impacts 
of contaminants in the North and Baltic Seas? How does the ecosystem react 
to changes, e.g. novel uses and activities? To answer questions like these, 
continuous monitoring over long periods of time is necessary, with follow-up 
research on the basis of the data obtained. 
Against this background, the North Sea and Baltic Sea are monitored routinely 
for contaminants, nutrient levels, and radioactivity which may affect the 
ecological balance. At the BSH’s laboratory, we carry out thorough chemical 
analyses of the water samples taken during monitoring cruises of the 
BSH’s vessels. These data, together with the measurement results of physical 
parameters like temperature, salinity, and currents as well as the data 
from our automated monitoring network, enable us to assess the status of the 
North and Baltic Seas and to determine causal relationships in the longer term. 
On the whole, the North Sea analyses showed low concentrations of most subs 
tances analysed, as in the preceding years. The ecological status of the 
Baltic Sea, whose natural features render it particularly vulnerable, was found 
to be similar. The main problem in that area still is the high nutrient loads, 
which promote the development of algal blooms and lead to increased oxygen 
depletion. 
Measurement data of the BSH are used in the compilation of international 
quality status reports which are issued at regular intervals by the regional 
marine environmental organisations: the OSPAR Commission for the 
North-East Atlantic, and the Helsinki Commission for the Baltic Sea. Quality 
status reports serve as a basis for the development of new or modification 
of existing recommendations, programmes, and standards, which are 
implemented or developed further in co-operation with the BSH. 
The BSH’s range of activities also includes measures aimed at reducing 
adverse environmental impacts caused by shipping. A priority issue is ballast 
water, which is used to stabilise ships. Up to now, it has been possible to 
discharge ballast water anywhere in the ocean, which has often led to the intro-