The south-eastern North Sea: losses of vertebrate fauna during the past 2000 years

At least 31 species of marine mammals, marine and coastal birds, and marine and anadromous fish have disappeared temporarily or permanently from the c oasts of The Netherlands and in most cases also from the south-eastern Nort h Sea (south of 54 degrees N) during the past 2000 years-In 18-22 cases, th e disappearance was probably due to overexploitation. For 9-12 species, phy sical destruction of their habitat was involved and, for 3-5 species, pollu tion probably played a part. Five species have returned to the area; these are doing very well. Three species may return through expansion of populati ons elsewhere. Anadromous fish and demersal fish species that have disappea red because of bottom-trawling in the North Sea have little chance of retur ning under the present conditions. For the gray whale (Eschrichtius robustu s) and the Dalmatian pelican (Pelecanus crispus) suggestions are made to in vestigate the possibilities for re-introduction. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.