MARINE-ENVIRONMENT QUALITY ASSESSMENT OF THE SKAGERRAK-KATTEGAT

This quality assessment of the Skagerrak-Kattegat is mainly based on r ecent results obtained within the framework of the Swedish multidiscip linary research projekt 'Large-scale environmental effects and ecologi cal processes in the Skagerrak-Kattegat' completed with relevant data from other research publications. The results show that the North Sea has a significant impact on the marine ecosystem in the Skagerrak and the northern Kattegat. Among environmental changes recently documented for some of these areas are: increased nutrient concentrations, incre ased occurrence of fast-growing filamentous algae in coastal areas aff ecting nursery and feeding conditions for fish, declining bottom water oxygen concentrations with negative effects on benthic fauna, and sed iment toxicity to invertebrates also causing physiological responses i n fish. It is concluded that, due to eutrophication and toxic substanc es, large-scale environmental changes and effects occur in the Skagerr ak-Kattegat area.