The seascape of the North Sea has always been dynamic; it is the sea that is used by shipping and fishing nations for centuries. It is a rather shallow sea, with sand banks and only a few areas with hard substrates. It has always been rich in fish. It is at present dominated by intensive shipping, fishing and sand extraction. Already now, but much more in the future, its use will change by plans for extensive wind farms with hundreds of turbines, a changing fish population due to climate change and substrate and the establishment of large Marine Protected Areas (MAPs). The big challenge is how the European Union, Great Britain and Norway can decide on a common policy and planning.
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