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Harvest mortality typically truncates the harvested species' size structure, thereby reducing phenotypic complexity, which can lead to reduced population productivity, increased population variability, and selection on an array of life history traits that can further alter these demographic processes. Marine protected areas (MPAs) are a potential tool to protect older, larger individuals and therefore mitigate such ecological and evolutionary effects of harvest, depending on the degree of connectivity among areas. Such MPA protection relies on a shift in size‐dependent mortality, the measurement of which can therefore serve as an early indicator of whether MPAs might achieve the desired longer‐term ecological and evolutionary responses. We directly measured MPA effects on size‐selective mortality and associated size structure using mark–recapture data on European lobster (Homarus gammarus) collected at three MPA–control area pairs in southern Norway during one decade (n = 5,943). Mark–recapture modeling, accounting for variation in recapture probabilities, revealed (1) that annual mean survival was higher inside MPAs (0.592) vs. control areas (0.298) and (2) that significant negative relationships between survival and body size occurred at the control areas but not in the MPAs, where the effect of body size was predominantly positive. Additionally, we found (3) that mean and maximum body size increased over time inside MPAs but not in control areas. Overall, our results suggest that MPAs can rebuild phenotypic complexity (i.e., size structure) and provide protection from harvest selection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper was to assess the Nordic situation with regard to carbon capture and storage (CCS) deployment at the local level. This was done by identifying important factors found in the literature on community acceptance and communication and relating this to possible CCS deployment in the Skagerrak region. The analysis was complemented with findings from interviews made with municipalities in the three countries (Denmark, Sweden and Norway). The results show that the possibilities to store CO2 offshore may be a clear advantage for the Nordic region and that Porsgrunn municipality in Norway display very positive attitudes towards existing and potential CCS activities, which stands in contrast to the many public acceptance challenges experienced in Europe. Moreover, the municipalities display very different awareness about CCS, which is seen in relation to CCS experiences and national policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A challenging aspect of benthic quality indices used for assessing the marine environment has been to compile reliable measures of the species’ sensitivity to disturbances. Sensitivity values and their uncertainties can be calculated, but a problem to cope with is that the results may depend on the actual proportion of samples from disturbed and undisturbed environments. Here we calculated sensitivity values for each species along an artificial disturbance gradient created by bootstrapping varying numbers of samples from disturbed and undisturbed environments. The values were increasing, decreasing, or more or less constant along this gradient. The lowest value with the lowest uncertainty was adopted as the species sensitivity value. Analyses of the uncertainties indicated that the accuracy rather than the precision might be a concern. We suggest a method to exclude species for which the uncertainty is outside predefined limits as a precaution to reduce bias in the environmental status classification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stocks of Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) in the Baltic Sea, Kattegat and Skagerrak (N. Europe) have been strongly exploited for decades bringing them into an enduringly depleted status. Scientific cod stock related advice for targeted and mixed fisheries is provided on an annual basis by the International Council for Exploration of the Sea. This advice forms a basis for ministerial decisions on, e.g., the total allowable catch and management plans. Despite measures to reduce fishing-induced mortality of cod, such as catch and effort restrictions, increased gear selectivity, closed areas and seasons, clear signs of recovery are yet to be seen. Thus, traditional advice for the management of these stocks may have to be complemented by advice on supporting measures focusing on other pressures hampering the recovery of cod. The present study elaborates on potential supportive measures for cod stock recovery in the Baltic Sea, Kattegat, and Skagerrak (including local populations where applicable), based on current knowledge. The list of measures presented here is the outcome of in-depth discussions on the state-of-the-art knowledge, among cod experts and further with stakeholders with the aim to follow principles of ecosystem-based fisheries management. Following the identification of different pressures on and prerequisites for the separate stocks, the listed measures differ between stocks and include cod bycatch mortality reduction, alterations in fisheries affecting food sources for cod, restocking, protection of juvenile habitats, and reduced predation. The literature review and the list of measures are intended to provide decision-support for managers and policymakers aiming to provide conditions for the cod stocks to recover. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Within the Skagerrak-Kattegat region up to 14 Mt of CO2 can annually be captured from power and industry sources. To establish a CCS infrastructure in the region it is necessary to identify and characterize potential CO2 storage sites. Initial screening of the region has revealed large aquifers in the Upper Triassic Gassum Formation. In dynamic simulation studies 250 Mt of CO2 were injected into the Gassum Formation over a period of 25 years. Identification and analysis of parameters that affect CO2 storage capacity were performed. Parameters important for the migration speed and the dissolution rate of CO2 in open dipping aquifers were investigated by a series of simulations on generic tilted reservoir models. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper gives an overview of results from a project which explored the feasibility of establishing a CO2 Capture and Storage infrastructure in the Skagerrak/Kattegat region of Southern Scandinavia. This involves assessment of the technical and economic parameters of the complete CCS chain and, in particular, identification of possible storage locations. The project ran from June 2009 to December 2011. Emissions from three major industrial clusters in the Skagerrak/Kattegat region – Gothenburg in Sweden, Grenland in Telemark County, southern Norway and Aalborg in Denmark - were targeted. Both emissions from process industries as well as power plants were included. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Oil and gas extraction activities discharge waters bearing radium isotopes which may potentially be transported to locations distant from the discharge point. Sediment cores from the Norwegian Trench and Skagerrak, potential sinks for North Sea discharges, were analyzed for the contents of these isotopes. All cores were such that data could be obtained from periods prior to and during extensive operations in the North Sea. Results indicate elevated levels of radium isotopes in upper sedimentary layers when compared to data for the Baltic Sea and Kattegat. Although diagenetic processes involving manganese cycling may be responsible for these enrichments, the data support previous work indicating a possible influence of North Sea discharges on sediments of the area. The results highlight the need for further work on elaborating background levels of these isotopes in the North Sea and related areas such that possible impacts of these discharges can be properly evaluated. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Investigating how individuals are affected by environmental pollution is relatively straightforward, for example through conducting field studies or laboratory toxicity tests. Exploring such effects at a population level is considerably more difficult. Nonetheless, the exploration of population-level effects is important as the outcomes may differ from those seen at the individual level. Eelpout (Zoarces viviparus L.) have been used for several years as a bioindicator for hazard substances in both the field and laboratory tests, and individual effects on reproduction have been reported. However, the influence of these effects at the population level remained unexplored. In this study, four Leslie matrix models were parameterized using data from non-polluted eelpout populations (Skagerrak, Baltic Proper, Gulf of Bothnia and Gulf of Finland). The four sites represent an environmental gradient in salinity. Furthermore, life-history data revealed differences between the sites with growth rate, fecundity, age at maturity and longevity being the most significant. The effect of pollution on natural eelpout populations was then simulated by combining the outputs from the Leslie matrices with data from laboratory and field studies exploring reproductive impairment in contaminated environments. Our results show that despite differences in life-history characteristics between sites, survival of early life stages (i.e. larvae and zero-year-old fish) was the most important factor affecting population growth and persistence for all sites. The range of change in survival of larvae necessary to change population dynamics (i.e. growth) and persistence is well within the range documented in recipient and experimental studies of chemicals and industrial waste waters. Overall, larval malformation resulting from environmental pollution can have large effects on natural populations, leading to population losses and possibly even extinction. This study hereby contributes valuable knowledge by extending individual-level effects of environmental contaminants to the population level. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article presents a study on the genetic mixed-stock analysis of the populations of Atlantic herring in a mixed feeding area. The researchers gathered and analyzed data for mixed feeding aggregations, after which they recorded the age and hatching season for the subsets of the fish after the same procedure for spawning samples. They also genotyped mixed-stock and baseline individuals for nine tetra-nucleotide microsatellites. They found that Rügen fish significantly contributed to most collections in summer.

The article focuses on an otolith geochemical study of the deep-sea fish Coryphaenoides rupestris in the North Atlantic Ocean. Fish otoliths are described as acellular, metabolically inert calcified cephalic structures that play a role in the hearing, balance and orientation of the fish. Results show significant trace element differences across sites which increase with age and in between life stages. One finding indicates that the highest concentrations of manganese (Mn) were recorded from the Skagerrak while the lowest observed Mn concentrations came from the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (MAR) while another finding shows that barium (Ba) concentrations were the lowest in the Skagerrak.

Abstract: A White Paper on a new integrated management plan for the Norwegian Sea was launched by the Norwegian government in May 2009. Following international guidelines for ecosystem-based management, the plan provides an overall framework for managing all human activities (mainly oil and gas industry, fishing, and shipping) in the area to ensure the continued production and function of the ecosystem. The plan is based on an assessment of the present and projected future impact of human activities and of the interactions between them, taking into account deficits in current knowledge of ecosystem state and dynamics. Areas of particular value in terms of biodiversity or biological production were identified. In each of these valuable areas, any access for substantial human activity is to be carefully managed. To monitor the overall development of the Norwegian Sea, a set of indicators with associated environmental quality objectives have been selected. The approach used builds upon experience gained from the first integrated Norwegian management plan for a marine area, the Barents Sea–Lofoten region, developed in 2002–2006. Work towards a Norwegian management plan for the North Sea, including Skagerrak, was initiated in 2009. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper presents an ongoing project with the aim to assess a CO2 infrastructure in the Skagerrak/Kattegat region (the sea bordered by north of Denmark, south coast of Norway and the west coast of Sweden). The area comprises 10–12 CO2 emission sources of more than 0.5 Mt/year. The geological and geophysical assessment of CO2 storage potential in the described area as well as reservoir modelling and simulations are performed in work package (WP) 1. The results from WP1 are used in the other work packages. Candidate storage sites are matched with those point sources in the region that are technically and economically feasible for CO2 capture, together with an assessment of the connecting infrastructure needs. WP2 focuses on identifying optimal technological CO2 infrastructure solutions. Sources-to-sink solutions are in the process of being developed based on input from WP1 and WP3. Assessment of the build-up of a complete CCS infrastructure from a system perspective is the overall focus of WP3, covering economical, practical and judicial aspects. The project group explores the economic potential for capture at each individual site including looking at other CO2 mitigation options and propose relevant capture technology with cost estimations. Dissemination of project results is organized in a separate work package, WP4. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Reduction of CO2 emissions is regarded as necessary to limit the consequences of increased CO2 in the atmosphere. Carbon capture and storage will play an integral part in future reduction of CO2 emissions together with energy optimization. Development of an efficient CCS infrastructure is the key to reaching proposed emission goal. In the current project the focus is on CO2 emissions in the Skagerrak-Kattegat region. The project encompasses all aspects of CCS, but in this article the focus is on CO2 transport infrastructure. Different infrastructure scenarios are proposed and costs are compared. This will be an iterative process and a final recommendation will be given by the end of the project period. Preliminary results will be provided in this article and are limited by the specified assumptions. Currently two scenarios, storage in the Skagerrak-Kattegat region and one outside, are estimated and compared. Both scenarios assumed that all the CO2 emitted in the region is available simultaneously and that no ramp-up is necessary. Storage in relatively close proximity to the emission sources is preferable in an economic perspective and the initial estimations indicate this. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper provides some initial results from the project “CCS in the Skagerrak/Kattegat-region” which is an intraregional CCS project partly funded by the EU. The project assesses the prospects for Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) from industry and power plants located in the Skagerrak region which comprises northern Denmark, south-east coast of Norway and the west coast of Sweden. The project is a joint cooperation between universities, research institutes and industries in the region. The methodology used in one of the project work packages is presented together with some initial results on legal aspects. CCS in the Skagerrak region may potentially account for a third of combined emission reduction commitments by 2020 in the three countries involved in the project. Yet, much of the emissions in the region occur from industry (in addition to power plants) and it is still not clear how these industries will be treated under the ETS. Based on current knowledge, a good storage option would be in the Hanstholm aquifer on Denmark’s northwest coast. The phasing-in of capture plants over time is central to the development of a cost efficient CCS infrastructure. However, many of the sources in the region are located at a port facilitating use of boat transport through the build-up period. The initial legal analysis show that significant regulatory uncertainties exist in the region with regard to CCS and it is not obvious that the implementation of the EU CCS directive into national law by June 2011 will alleviate these uncertainties. Finally, the project may provide a significant test case for what type of political and regulatory cooperation that will be required if CCS is to be deployed in a transboundary context under conditions of sufficient public acceptance and well-designed regulation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article discusses research done on the life history characteristics of fjord cod Gadus morhua in Skagerrak, Norway. Life history changes are considered as stress indicators in harvested populations. The study procedure included the measurement of the fork length of the fish and the identification of the maturity state from the visual inspection of the gonads. The data gathered indicated the shift of age and length distributions towards larger and older fish, contrary to expectations with the historic sample.

The article presents a study which investigated a clear year-round diel vertical migration pattern (DVM) of juvenile coastal cod Gadus morhua from the Skagerrak coast in Norway. It is stated that light intensity, ambient temperature and food availability were determinants to the diel vertical migration of coastal cod. Ultrasonic receivers and transmitters were used to plot every fish. The authors concluded that seasonal shift in the timing of DVM was related with the seasonal shift in sunrise and sunset.

Abstract: A previously presented objective method to calculate each species sensitivity to disturbance is here slightly modified and implemented in the Benthic Quality Index (BQI) for marine benthic invertebrates. A framework for assessment of water bodies based on multi-site BQI-values is also presented, where a certain variation of BQI-values is allowed to cover the heterogeneity within each water body. The 20th percentile, using bootstrapping, from the available sites’ BQI-values is compared with the status boundaries for quality assessment. The reliability of the assessment depends on the background information available for the boundary setting as well as the number of sampling sites included in the assessment. Agreement between time series of quality assessments in areas with known changes in anthropogenic disturbances is encouraging. Problems associated with water body assessment based on few or no samples, as well as multiple sampling occasions during the 6-yr WFD cycle are discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The Norwegian Coastal Administration (NCA) is responsible for monitoring the environmental risk created by shipwrecks in Norwegian waters. If the risk is found to be unacceptable, corrective measures will be recommended to the Norwegian Ministry of Fisheries and Coastal Affaires. Approval and funding of such corrective measures will be decided by the Ministry. The NCA has been tasked to execute a program to find the shipwrecks that constitute the highest environmental risk from substances other than oil. The NCA's Wreck Data Base (2,300 wrecks) is the basis for the study. The emphasis of this article is on activities connected to ships loaded with chemical weapons (CWs) dumped in the Skagerrak. The article gives information on the surveys carried out by the Norwegian Defense Research Establishment (FF1) in 1989 and 2002. A number of the wrecks containing CWs are unaccounted for. FF1 recommended in the 2002 report that an effort should be made to find the remaining CW wrecks. To find and possibly identify the missing CW wrecks in Skagerrak, a search program will be developed. The NCA is testing a new concept this autumn: is it possible to identify a sunken ship by class or name based on information from an underwater vehicle? The test of FFI's HUG IN 1000 HUS autonomous underwater vehicle is expected to provide information on the suitability of the vehicle in providing data for wreck location and identification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to develop a new method for classification of marine benthic quality according to the European Union Water Framework Directive. Tolerance values to environmental disturbance were determined in an objective analysis for benthic species along the Swedish west coast by using 4676 samples from 257 stations. Based on a combination of the species tolerance values, abundance and diversity, a benthic quality index (BQI) was calculated for the assessment of environmental status at a particular station. The qualification of BQI was evaluated in relation to known spatial and temporal gradients of disturbance. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Microplastics were sampled in open surface waters by using a manta trawl and an in-situ filtering pump. A total of 24 trawl samples and 11 pump samples were taken at 12 locations around Sweden. Overall, the concentration of microplastic particles was higher in pump samples compared to trawl samples. The median microplastic particle concentration was 0.04 particles per m−3 for manta trawl samples and 0.10 particles per m−3 in pump samples taken with a mesh size of 0.3 mm. The highest concentrations were recorded on the west coast of Sweden. Fibers were found in all samples and were also more frequent in the pump samples. Even higher concentrations of fibers and particles were found on the 0.05 mm pump filters. Using near-infrared hyperspectral imaging the majority of the particles were identified as polyethylene followed by polypropylene. • Microplastics (>0.3 mm) were found in 88% of trawl samples and 91% of pump samples, fibers were observed in all samples. • Near-infrared hyperspectral imaging identified most of the particles as polyethylene. • Pump samples had notably higher concentrations of microplastics in 5 out of 11 locations. • Higher concentrations of microplastics and fibers when using a smaller mesh size of 0.05 mm • The highest concentrations were recorded by the pump on the Swedish west coast. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sediments and blue mussels were collected along a transect through the Baltic Sea to the Atlantic Ocean and analysed for a number of specific halogenated organic compounds and sum parameters. Multivariance analysis indicated geographical separation of the sediment data due to high concentrations of EOCl and EPOCl in the Bay of Bothnia and Bothnian Sea, high concentrations of sPCB in the Baltic proper and low concentrations of most of the compounds in the Skagerrak. The separation in mussels was due to high concentrations of sHCH and sDDT in the Danish sounds and the Kattegat, and high concentrations of EOX, EOCl and EOBr in the Baltic Sea. In contrast to the sediments, where no correlation was found between EOCl and EOX, these parameters are well correlated in the mussels. EOCl correlates to EPOCl both in sediments and blue mussels. The share of EPOCl is remarkably similar (ca. 11% of EOCl) in sediments and mussels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]