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The institutes involved are as follows: 
BfG, Koblenz; DHI, Hamburg; BAH, Hamburg; 
NLWW, Hildesheim; LWK, Kiel; WWA, Bremen; 
ARGE Elbe, Hamburg 
It is the aim of the programme to improve the knowledge 
as to 
- the freight of substances introduced into the coastal waters 
of the North Sea via rivers and near coastal discharges of sewage 
effluents 
- the distribution and final whereabouts of the substances 
- their effects upon seawater, sediments, and organisms. 
The monitoring programme is intended to provide con 
tributions which will facilitate the recognition of 
hazards in good time and enable counter measures to 
be undertaken. 
Investigation area: North Sea territorial areas of the Federal 
Republic of Germany between its coast line 
and the border of its territorial waters, 
adjacent areas of the High Seas and estuaries. 
Seawater analysis: A measurement network comprising 64 sampling 
positions, the samples being taken in Febru 
ary, May, August, November. 
Analysis for oxygen, nutrients, and 
heavy metals. 
Sediment analysis: 
Sample taking at 33 positions and analysis 
for heavy metals. 
Chemical analysis of 
organisms : 
Mytilus edulis as indicator organism, 
collected from 8 coastal areas,and analyzed 
for Cadmium content. 
It is intended^,during the next years / to include 
the analysis for organohalogen compounds in the 
and organisms. Further species from the benthal 
to be included in the programme as well. 
in the programme 
seawater, sediment, 
and pélagial are