North Sea Directorate, Rijkswaterstaat, P.O. Box 5807, 2280 HV, Rijswijk, The Netherlands.
Environ Monit Assess. 1986 Sep;7(2):117-55. doi: 10.1007/BF00398692.
The water quality management of The Netherlands' part of the North Sea (57 000 km(2) continental shelf of which 7600 km(2) is territorial sea to 12 miles) and the Wadden Sea (a wetland area behind the northern coastal islands), is described on the basis of recent scientific studies and governmental policy documents. The links with international conventions and treaties are mentioned. The overall water quality in these areas has significantly deteriorated over the last century, notably since the post-war industrial revival, due to a great number of emissions of heavy metals and organochlorine substances. A dramatic decline of seals and porpoises has occurred. However, over the last few years some emissions have been reduced. A national ecological research programme for the North Sea is developing. Monitoring is concentrated on levels of pollutants as well as on effects upon biota. Baseline standards are now being developed as references for further action against pollution. If the recent trend towards improvement is to continue, it requires that the increased economic activities (notably the mining of oil and gas, petrochemical production, and incineration and dumping of chemical wastes) be kept sufficiently under control. A need is felt for a continued rational harmonization and planning of all activities on the North Sea. An even more stringent planning is required for the Wadden Sea which is now an international nature reserve under the Wetland Convention and is eligible for designation as a Biosphere Reserve under the UNESCO-MAB-programme. The river Rhine as greatest polluter of the North Sea and Wadden Sea urgently needs a clean-up.
荷兰北海部分（57000 平方公里大陆架，其中 7600 平方公里为 12 英里领海）和瓦登海（北海北部沿海岛屿后面的湿地地区）的水质管理是基于最近的科学研究和政府政策文件来描述的。文中还提到了与国际公约和条约的联系。在过去的一个世纪里，由于大量排放重金属和有机氯物质，这些地区的整体水质显著恶化，特别是自战后工业复兴以来。海豹和海豚的数量急剧下降。然而，在过去的几年里，一些排放量已经减少。一个针对北海的国家生态研究计划正在发展。监测集中在污染物的水平以及对生物群的影响上。目前正在制定基准标准，作为进一步防治污染的参考。如果最近的改善趋势能够持续下去，就需要对不断增加的经济活动（特别是石油和天然气的开采、石油化工生产、以及化学废物的焚烧和倾倒）进行充分控制。人们感到需要继续合理协调和规划北海的所有活动。对于瓦登海，由于它现在是湿地公约下的国际自然保护区，并有资格被教科文组织人与生物圈计划指定为生物圈保护区，因此需要更严格的规划。作为北海和瓦登海最大的污染源，莱茵河迫切需要进行清理。
