The AWI North Sea Office
The AWI North Sea Office provides scientific content for the political community, environmental organisations and the general public. The North Sea is a unique habitat and significant economic region alike. The resulting conflicts regarding its use and global climate change represent major challenges for society, political decision-makers, and government offices.
For the past several years, the AWI has been monitoring and investigating changes in the North Sea at its facilities in Bremerhaven, Helgoland and Sylt. Offering extensive expertise gained through numerous research projects, AWI staff serve on a range of European expert councils and advisory councils. Together with the political community and environmental protection organisations, the AWI works to develop strategies for the sustainable use of the changing North Sea.
Management
Dr. Christian Buschbaum
Dr. Lars Gutow
Site responsibility
Bremerhaven: Dr. Lars Gutow
Helgoland: Dr. Bernadette Pogoda
Sylt: Dr. Christian Buschbaum
Focus areas
Invasive species on our coasts
Due to transoceanic shipping and aquaculture-related activities, more and more non-native species are finding their way to our coasts, producing unforeseeable effects on local ecosystems. In this regard, the North Sea Office works closely together with national environmental agencies and is currently developing an assessment indicator for gauging the effects of new species on the marine environment – an essential tool for implementing the EU’s Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD).
Marine nature conservation measures
The North Sea is one of the most heavily used seas in the world. Shipping, fishing and other anthropogenic activities have substantial effects on natural ecosystems, while also influencing the North Sea’s biodiversity. By investigating active marine nature conservation measures, the North Sea Office and Germany’s Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN) are working together to preserve that biodiversity, e.g. by restoring ecologically essential species and habitats.
