8/6/2019 North Sea Eco

1/3

North Sea

The North Sea is a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean located between Great Britain,

Scandinavia, Belgium, and theNetherlands. An epeiric (or "shelf") sea on the European

continental shelf, it connects to the ocean through the English Channel in the south and theNorwegian Sea in the north. It is more than 970 kilometres (600 mi) long and 580 kilometres(360 mi) wide, with an area of around 750,000 square kilometres (290,000 sq mi).

The North Sea has long been the site of important European shipping lanes as well as a major

fishery. The sea is a popular destination for recreation and tourism in bordering countries andmore recently has developed into a rich source of energy resources including fossil fuels, wind,

and early efforts in wave power.

Historically, the North Sea has featured prominently in geopolitical and military affairs,

particularly in Northern Europe but also globally through the power northern European actors

projected worldwide during much of the Middle Ages and modern era. The North Sea was centerof the Vikings' rise and subsequently, the Hanseatic League, theNetherlands, and the Britisheach sought to dominate the North Sea and through it to control access the markets and resources

of the world. As Germany's only outlet to the ocean, the North Sea continued to be strategicallyimportant through both World Wars.

The coast of the North Sea presents a diversity of geological and geographical features. In the

north, deep fjords and sheer cliffs mark theNorwegian and Scottish coastlines, whereas the southconsist primarily of sandy beaches and wide mudflats. Due to the dense population, heavy

industrialization, and intense use of the sea and area surrounding it, there have been a number ofenvironmental issues affecting the sea's ecosystems. Environmental concernscommonly

including overfishing, industrial and agricultural runoff, dredging, and dumping among othershave led to a number of efforts to prevent degradation of the sea while still making use of its

economic potential.

Geography

The North Sea is bounded by the Orkney Islands and east coasts ofEngland and Scotland to thewest

[1]and the northern and central European mainland to the east and south, includingNorway,

Denmark, Germany, theNetherlands, Belgium, and France.[2]

In the southwest, beyond theStraits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel connecting to the Atlantic

Ocean.[1][2]

In the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrakand Kattegat,[2]

narrow

straits that separate Denmark from Norway and Sweden respectively.[1]

In the north it is borderedby the Shetland Islands, and connects with theNorwegian Sea, which lies in the very north-eastern part of the Atlantic.[1][3]

It is more than 970 kilometres (600 mi) long and 580 kilometres (360 mi) wide, with an area of

750,000 square kilometres (290,000 sq mi) and a volume of 94,000 cubic kilometres (23,000cu mi).

[4]Around the edges of the North Sea are sizeable islands and archipelagos, including

Shetland, Orkney, and the Frisian Islands.[2]

The North Sea receives freshwater from a number of

8/6/2019 North Sea Eco

2/3

European continental watersheds, as well as the British Isles. A large part of the Europeandrainage basin empties into the North Sea including water from the Baltic Sea. The largest and

most important affecting the North Sea are the Elbe and the Rhine - Meuse watershed.[5]

Around185 million people live in the catchment area ofthe rivers that flow into the North Sea

encompassing some highly industrialized areas.[6]

History

Name

Through history various names have been used for the North Sea. One of the earliest recorded names

was Septentrionalis Oceanus, or "Northern Ocean," which was cited by Pliny.[69]

The name "North Sea"

probably came into English, however, via the Dutch "Noordzee", who named it thus either in contrast

with the Zuiderzee ("South Sea"), located south ofFrisia, or simply because the sea is generally to the

north of the Netherlands.[70]

Prior to the adoption of "North Sea," "German Sea" or "German Ocean"--

from the Latin name "Mare Germanicum" and "Oceanus Germanicus"--were the names in English, and

they persisted even into the late 19th Century.[71]

Law ofthe Sea

The Law of the Sea (LOS) is a comprehensive treaty covering territorial sea limits, navigational

rights, the legal status of the ocean's resources, economic jurisdictions, protection of the marine

environment, marine research, and other facets of ocean management. It attempted to address theexisting conflicts over the oceans. After its adoption, some called it "possibly the most

significant legal instrument of this (the twentieth) century."

The treaty established legal principles governing ocean space, its uses and resources. The Law ofthe Sea treaty also set up a binding procedure for settling disputes between nations and

established the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea. Nations could now take othernations to court over perceived violations of international convention. The treaty also recognized

the right to conduct marine scientific research. It addresses the main sources of ocean pollution:land and coastal activities, continental shelf drilling, seabed mining, ocean dumping, and vessel-source pollution.

The Law of the Sea also established the International Seabed Authority, which regulates

activities in the deep seabed beyond national jurisdictions. One of the most contentious aspectsof the Law of the Sea was the language dealing with the mining of minerals in the deep ocean

floor, the part of the international seabed area beyond the national jurisdictions (Part XI). In1998, an agreement was passed, formally known as the Agreement Related to the

Implementation of Part XI of the Convention. This Agreement in jointly implemented with theLOS.

The Ocean's Future.

The joining of the world's countries to protect the oceans through the Law of the Sea Convention

signals society's growing recognition of the importance of the oceans to life on Earth. The Law

8/6/2019 North Sea Eco

3/3

of the Sea is a good example of intergovernmental cooperation to protect an important resourcefrom global pressures. The ocean's future depends on the abilities of nations to implement

effective governance.

Read more: Law of the Sea - oceans, important, source, marine, humanhttp://www.waterencyclopedia.com/La-Mi/Law-of-the-Sea.html#ixzz1TUYk5ptW