Common Procedure for Identification of the Eutrophication Status of Maritime Area of the Oslo and Paris Conventions. Report on the Comprehensive Procedure for the Norwegian Skagerrak Coast

Abstract

The Comprehensive Procedure has been applied to the inshore waters of the Norwegian Skagerrak coast, which has been divided into 44 areas. A total of 17 areas are classified as Problem Areas and 27 areas as Potential Problem areas. The frequent registrations of harmful algae and mussel toxins at a limited number of monitoring stations represents a problem in the classification process as such a registration alone may classify an area as a potential problem area. The causes behind toxic algae blooms and mussel toxin is still uncertain. For most areas there is a basic uncertainty about the existence of problems from harmful algae. A general approach has been to classify such areas as Potential Problem Areas.