Guidance Pollution of the North Sea
Index section Pollution of the North Sea
Introduction
The Dutch Continental Shelf is exploited not only for fishery but also for shipping, oil and gas production, the abstraction of sand, gravel and shells, the dumping of dredged material, land reclamation (Tweede Maasvlakte), the discharge of wastes, and recreation. All these activities affect the occurrence of plants and animals. The rivers that flow into the North Sea from the Netherlands are the most important source of pollution in the sea. Most of the oil pollution, however, comes from shipping. Oil pollution is still a problem for seabirds, although there are fewer casualties.
