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47-513: The Skagerrak contains some of the busiest shipping routes in the world, with vessels from every corner of the globe. It also supports an intensive fishing industry. The ecosystem is strained and negatively affected by direct human activities. Oslo and Gothenburg are the only large cities in the Skagerrak region. The strait is likely named after Skagen , a town near the northern cape of Denmark, with 'Rak' meaning 'straight waterway'. The Skagerrak

94-479: A bay of the North Sea and North Atlantic Ocean , but in traditional Scandinavian usage, this is not the case. The Kattegat is a rather shallow sea and can be very difficult and dangerous to navigate because of the many sandy and stony reefs and tricky currents, which often shift. In modern times, artificial seabed channels have been dug, many reefs have been dredged by either sand pumping or boulder clearance, and

141-411: A channel or opening of water in an otherwise ice-covered body of water. There is no evidence to suggest a connection with the modern Danish word rak (meaning rabble or riff-raff). It is therefore likely that the Skagerrak was named by Dutch seafarers, as was the adjacent Kattegat . The Skagerrak is 240 km (150 mi) long and between 80 and 140 km (50 and 87 mi) wide. It deepens toward

188-612: A great deal higher than the rest of the Baltic Sea . These two opposing flows transport a net surplus of 475 km (114 cu mi) seawater from the Baltic to the Skagerrak every year. During stronger winds, the layers in the Kattegat are completely mixed in some places, such as the Great Belt , so the overall salinity is highly variable in this small sea. This sets some unique conditions for

235-634: A number of rare species and a scenic rocky shore , the town of Mölle , which has a picturesque harbour and views into the Kullaberg, and Skagen at the northern tip of Denmark. Since the 1950s, a bridge project usually referred to as Kattegatbroen (the Kattegat Bridge ) connecting Jutland and Zealand across the Kattegat has been considered. Since the late 2000s, the project has seen a renewed interest from several influential politicians in Denmark. The bridge

282-482: A range seafloor habitats previously thought to be sandy with a low density of wildlife. Dead Man’s Fingers corals were again among the species documented for the first time in these coastal habitats. Scientists and environmental institutions have expressed concern about the increasing pressure on the ecosystem in Skagerrak. The pressure has already had negative impacts and is caused by cumulative environmental effects, of which direct human activities are only one piece of

329-483: A salinity between 18‰ and 26‰ and the lower layer – separated by a strong halocline at around 15 m (49 ft) – has a salinity between 32‰ and 34‰. The lower layer consists of inflowing seawater from the Skagerrak, with a salinity on level with most other coastal seawaters, while the upper layer consists of inflowing seawater from the Baltic Sea and has a much lower salinity, comparable to brackish water , but still

376-422: A well-developed light signaling network has been installed to safeguard the very heavy international traffic on this small sea. There are several large cities and major ports on the Kattegat, including, in descending size, Gothenburg , Aarhus , Aalborg , Halmstad , Varberg and Frederikshavn . According to the definition established in a 1932 convention signed by Denmark, Norway and Sweden (registered in

423-545: Is 240 km long and 80–140 km wide, deepening towards the Norwegian coast. It has an average salinity comparable to other coastal waters, housing a variety of habitats. Historically, the Skagerrak was the only access to the Baltic Sea until the construction of the Eider Canal in 1784. During both World Wars, the strait held strategic importance for Germany. Presently, it remains one of the busiest straits worldwide. The Skagerrak

470-664: Is a 30,000 km (12,000 sq mi) sea area bounded by the Jutlandic peninsula in the west, the Danish straits islands of Denmark and the Baltic Sea to the south and the provinces of Bohuslän , Västergötland , Halland and Scania in Sweden in the east. The Baltic Sea drains into the Kattegat through the Danish straits. The sea area is a continuation of the Skagerrak and may be seen as

517-595: Is a habitat for approximately 2,000 marine species, including a unique variety of Atlantic cod. It also contains sandy and stony reefs and cold-water coral reefs. Environmental institutions have expressed concern about increasing pressure on the ecosystem due to human activities and climate change. Protections are in place, with several marine protected areas in Skagerrak, including Ytre Hvaler National Park in Norway and Kosterhavet National Park in Sweden. The meaning of Skagerrak

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564-527: Is about 3,600 km (1,400 sq mi) and includes a wide variety of habitats, from shallow sandy and stony reefs in Sweden and Denmark to the depths of the Norwegian trench . The International Hydrographic Organization defines the limits of the Skagerrak as follows: On the West. A line joining Hanstholm ( 57°07′N 8°36′E  /  57.117°N 8.600°E  / 57.117; 8.600 ) and

611-743: Is among the busiest straits in the world. In 1862, a short cut, the Thyborøn Channel at the Limfjord was constructed in Denmark through Skagerrak from the North Sea by going directly to the Kattegat . The Limfjord supports only minor transports though. In both world wars, the Skagerrak was strategically very important for Germany. The biggest sea battle of the First World War , the Battle of Jutland , also known as

658-681: Is most likely the Skagen Channel/Strait. Skagen is a town near the northern cape of Denmark (The Skaw). In Dutch , rak means 'straight waterway ', as seen in Dutch hydronyms such as Damrak , Gouderak , Langerak , Tuikwerderrak, and Volkerak ), cognate with reach . The ultimate source of this syllable is the Proto-Indo-European root *reg-, 'straight'. Rak means 'straight' as in 'straight ahead' in modern Norwegian and Swedish. Råk in both modern Norwegian and Swedish refers to

705-571: Is preferably safe, direct and economic. During the Age of Sail , they were determined by the distribution of land masses but also by the prevailing winds , whose discovery was crucial for the success of long maritime voyages. Sea lanes are very important for seaborne trade. The establishment of the North Atlantic sea lanes was inspired by the sinking of the US mail steamer SS Arctic by collision with

752-637: Is usually envisioned as connecting Hov (a village south of Odder in the Aarhus area) with Samsø and Kalundborg . The International Hydrographic Organization defines the limits of the "Kattegat, Sound and Belts" (that is, the Kattegat, Øresund , Great Belt , and Little Belt ) as follows: On the North : A line joining Skagen (The Skaw, northernmost point of Denmark) and Paternoster Skær ( 57°54′N 11°27′E  /  57.900°N 11.450°E  / 57.900; 11.450 ) and thence northeastward through

799-495: The Automatic Identification System (AIS). Skagerrak is popular for recreational activities in all three countries. There are many summer house residences and several marinas along the coasts. The Skagerrak is habitat for approximately 2,000 marine species, many of them adapted to its waters. For example, a variety of Atlantic cod called the Skagerrak cod spawns off the Norwegian coast. The eggs are buoyant and

846-478: The Danish straits to a passage so tight that even a cat would have difficulty squeezing its way through, owing to the many reefs and shoals. At one point, the passable waters were a mere 3.84 km (2.07 nmi; 4,200 yd) wide. The name of the Copenhagen street Kattesundet has a comparable etymological meaning, namely 'narrow passage', lit.   ' cat's strait ' . An archaic name for both

893-568: The League of Nations Treaty Series 1933–1934), the northern boundary between the Kattegat and Skagerrak are found at the northernmost point of Skagen on Jutland, while the southern boundary towards Øresund is found at the tip of Kullen Peninsula in Scania. Major waterways that drain into the Kattegat are the rivers of Göta älv at Gothenburg , together with the Lagan , Nissan , Ätran and Viskan in

940-500: The Middle Ages , the Danish royal family – and later the state of Denmark – prospered greatly from the Sound dues , a toll charged for passage through the Øresund , while Copenhagen provided shelter, trade, and repair opportunities and protection from piracy . The dues were eventually lifted in 1857. In the Kattegat, the salinity has a pronounced two-layer structure. The upper layer has

987-490: The Skagerrak and Kattegat was the Norwegian Sea or Jutland Sea ( Knýtlinga saga mentions the name Jótlandshaf ). Its ancient Latin name was Sinus Codanus . Control of the Kattegat, and access to it, have been important throughout the history of international seafaring. Until the completion of the Eider Canal in 1784, the Kattegat was the only sea route into and out of the Baltic region. Beginning in 1429 in

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1034-480: The sealife here. Cold seeps , locally known as bubbling reefs ( Danish : boblerev ), are found in the northern Kattegat. Unlike cold seeps in most other places (including the North Sea and Skagerrak), the Kattegat bubbling reefs are at relatively shallow depths, generally between 0 and 30 m (0–100 ft) below the surface. The seeps rely on methane deposited during the Eemian period and during calm weather

1081-611: The Battle of the Skagerrak, took place here May 31 to June 1, 1916. In the Second World War , the importance of controlling this waterway, the only sea access to the Baltic, was the motive for the German invasions of Denmark and Norway as well as the construction of the northern parts of the Atlantic Wall . Both of these naval engagements have contributed to the large number of shipwrecks in

1128-748: The Danish waters of Skagerrak west of Hirtshals , but more might be discovered in future surveys. Bubbly reefs are very rare in Europe and supports a very varied ecosystem. With the centuries-long heavy international seatraffic of Skagerrak, the seabed also holds an abundance of shipwrecks. Wrecks on shallow waters, provides a firm anchoring for several corals and polyps and explored wrecks have been revealed to support Dead Man's Fingers corals, Brittle stars and large wolffish . A 2020 seafloor mapping project around Jammerbugten in Skaggerak, ran by Danish explorer Klaus Thymann , found evidence of much greater biodiversity in

1175-600: The French steamer SS Vesta in October 1854 which resulted in the loss of over 300 lives. Lieutenant M. F. Maury of the US Navy first published a section titled "Steam Lanes Across the Atlantic" in his 1855 Sailing Directions proposing sea lanes along the 42 degree latitude . A number of international conferences and committees were held in 1866, 1872, 1887, 1889, and 1891 all of which left

1222-543: The Kattegat has been designated as a Sulphur Emission Control Area as part of the Baltic Sea since 2006. As from 1 January 2016 the benchmark for sulphur in fuels was lowered to 0.1%. Several larger areas of the Kattegat are designated as Natura 2000 and under various bird protections such as the Ramsar Convention . The remaining larger shallow reefs are among the protections, as they are important spawning and feeding grounds for fish and marine mammals and they support

1269-518: The Naze ( Lindesnes , 58°N 7°E  /  58°N 7°E  / 58; 7 ). On the Southeast. The Northern limit of the Kattegat [A line joining Skagen (The Skaw, North Point of Denmark) and Paternosterskären ( 57°54′N 11°27′E  /  57.900°N 11.450°E  / 57.900; 11.450 ) and thence Northeastward through the shoals to Tjörn Island ]. Older names for

1316-618: The Norwegian coast, reaching over 700 m at the Norwegian Trench . Some ports along the Skagerrak are Oslo , Larvik and Kristiansand in Norway , Skagen , Hirtshals and Hanstholm in Denmark and Uddevalla , Lysekil and Strömstad in Sweden . The Skagerrak has an average salinity of 80 practical salinity units , which is very low, close to that of brackish water , but comparable to most other coastal waters. The area available to biomass

1363-583: The Skagerrak. Skagerrak is a busy shipping lane, with c. 7,500 individual vessels (excluding fishing vessels) from all over the world visiting in 2013 alone. Cargo ships are by far the most common vessel in Skagerrak at c. 4,000 individual ships in 2013, followed by tankers , which are nearly half as frequent. When viewed in combination with the Baltic Sea area, ships from 122 different nationalities visited in 2013, with most of these carrying cargo or passengers within Europe, regardless of their flag state . Nearly all commercial vessels in Skagerrak are tracked by

1410-482: The bubbles can sometimes be seen on the water surface. Carbonate cementation and lithification form slaps or pillars up to 4 m (13 ft) tall, and support a rich biodiversity . Because of their unique status, the Kattegat bubbling reefs receive a level of protection and are recognized as a Natura 2000 habitat (type 1180) by the European Union (EU). The Kattegat, characterised by widespread anoxia ,

1457-595: The combined Skagerrak and Kattegat were the Norwegian Sea or Jutland Sea ; the latter appears in the Knýtlinga saga . Until the construction of the Eider Canal in 1784 (a predecessor to the Kiel Canal ), Skagerrak was the only way in and out of the Baltic Sea . For this reason, the strait has had busy international traffic for centuries. After the Industrial Revolution , the traffic increased and today Skagerrak

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1504-548: The designation of sea lanes to the principal trans-Atlantic steamship companies at the time; Cunard , White Star , Inman , National Line , and Guion Lines . In 1913–1914 the International Convention for Safety of Life at Sea held in London again reaffirmed that the selection of routes across the Atlantic in both directions is left to the responsibility of the steamship companies. Shipping lanes came to be by analysing

1551-483: The first Action Plan for the Aquatic Environment in 1985, and are now busy implementing the fourth Action Plan. The action plans sums up a broad range of initiatives and includes the so-called Nitrate Directives. The action plans have generally been viewed as a success, although the work is not finished and all goals are not completely met yet. Due to the very heavy sea traffic and many large coastal settlements,

1598-771: The hatchlings feed on zooplankton . Juveniles sink to the bottom where they have a shorter maturity cycle (2 years). They do not migrate but remain local to Norwegian fjords . The variety of habitats and the large volume of plankton on the surface support prolific marine life. Energy moves from the top to the bottom according to Vinogradov 's ladder of migrations; that is, some species are benthic and others pelagic , but there are graded marine layers within which species move vertically for short distances. In addition, some species are benthopelagic , moving between surface and bottom. The benthic species include Coryphaenoides rupestris , Argentina silus , Etmopterus spinax , Chimaera monstrosa and Glyptocephalus cynoglossus . On

1645-490: The only known coral reef in the country. The Tisler Reef in the Norwegian marine protection of Ytre Hvaler National Park is the largest known coral reef in Europe. Lophelia reefs are also present in the Norwegian trench and they are known from the shallow waters of many Norwegian fjords. Skagerrak also holds a number of rare bubble reefs ; biological reefs formed around cold seeps of geological carbohydrate outgassings, usually methane . These rare habitats are mostly known from

1692-535: The prevailing winds. The trade winds allowed ships to sail towards the west quickly, and the westerlies allowed ships to travel to the east quickly. As such, the sea lanes are mostly chosen to take full advantage of these winds. Currents are also similarly followed as well, which also gives an advantage to the vessel. Some routes, such as that from Cape Town to Rio de Janeiro (passing Tristan da Cunha ), were not able to take advantage of these natural factors. Main sea lanes may also attract pirates . Pax Britannica

1739-574: The province of Halland on the Swedish side, and the river of Gudenå in Jutland , in Denmark. The main islands of the Kattegat are Samsø , Læsø and Anholt ; the latter two are, due to their relatively dry climate, perceived as belonging to "the Danish desert belt". A number of noteworthy coastal areas abut the Kattegat, including the Kullaberg Nature Reserve in Scania, Sweden, which contains

1786-462: The puzzle. Climate change and ocean acidification are expected to have increasing impacts on the Skagerrak ecosystem in the future. Skagerrak and the North Sea receives considerable inputs of hazardous material and radioactive substances . Most is ascribed to long-range transport from other countries, but not all. Marine litter is also a growing problem. Until recently, waste water and sewage pouring into Skagerrak from settlements and industries

1833-668: The shipping lanes. Sections of lanes exist which can be shallow or have some kind of obstruction (such as sand banks ). This threat is greatest when passing some narrows, such as between islands in the Indian Ocean (e.g. in Indonesia ) as well as between islands in the Pacific (e.g. near the Marquesas islands, Tahiti). Some shipping lanes, such as the Straits of Malacca off Indonesia and Malaysia , and

1880-598: The shoals to Tjörn Island . On the South : The limits of the Baltic Sea in the Belts and Sound: According to Den Store Danske Encyklopædi and Nudansk Ordbog  [ da ] , the name derives from the Dutch words katte 'cat's' and gat 'gate, passage'. It derives from late medieval navigation jargon, in which captains of the Hanseatic trading fleets would compare

1927-422: The shore. Unlike with road traffic, there is no exact "road" a ship must follow, so this can easily be done. Shipping lanes are the busiest parts of the sea, thus being a useful place for stranded boaters whose boats are sinking or people on a liferaft to boat to, and be rescued by a passing ship. Shipping lanes may pose threats to some ocean-going craft. Small boats risk conflicts with bigger ships if they follow

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1974-406: The top are Clupea harengus , Scomber scombrus , Sprattus sprattus . Some species that move between are Pandalus borealis , Sabinea sarsi , Etmopterus spinax . Apart from sandy and stony reefs, extensive cold water coral reefs , mostly of Lophelia , are growing in Skagerrak. The Säcken Reef in the Swedish marine protection of Koster Fjord is an ancient cold water coral reef and

2021-575: The waters off Somalia , are frequented by pirates operating independently or as privateers (for companies and countries). Passing ships run the risk of being attacked and held for ransom. The world's busiest shipping lane is the Dover Strait . 500–600 vessels per day traverse the narrow strait and in 1999 1.4 billion tonnes gross, carried by 62,500 vessels passed through the strait. Kattegat The Kattegat ( Danish: [ˈkʰætəkæt] ; Swedish : Kattegatt [ˈkâtːɛˌɡat] )

2068-567: The wind still creates waves, and this can cause heeling . As such following the overall direction of the trade winds and westerlies is still very useful. However, it is best for any vessel that is not engaged in trading, or is smaller than a certain length, to avoid the lanes. This is not only because the slight chance of a collision with a large ship that can easily cause a smaller ship to sink, but also because large vessels are much less maneuverable than smaller ships, and need much more depth. Smaller ships can thus easily take courses that are nearer to

2115-504: Was not treated at all. In combination with wash out of excessive nutrients from conventional farming , this has often led to large algae blooms . There are several marine protections in Skagerrak, including: Skaagerak is the setting of the popular television show Badehotellet from Denmark. Shipping route A sea lane , sea road or shipping lane is a regularly used navigable route for large water vessels ( ships ) on wide waterways such as oceans and large lakes , and

2162-520: Was one of the first marine dead zones to be noted in the 1970s, when scientists began studying how intensive industrial activities affected the natural world. Since then, studies and research has provided much insight into processes like eutrophication , and how to deal with it. Denmark and the EU have initiated costly and far-reaching domestic projects in order to stop, repair and prevent these environmentally destructive and economically damaging processes since

2209-546: Was the period from 1815–1914 during which the British Royal Navy controlled most of the key maritime trade routes, and also suppressed piracy and the slave trade. During World War I , as German U-boats began hitting American and British shipping , the Allied trade vessels began to move out of the usual sea lanes to be escorted by naval ships . Although most ships no longer use sails (having switched them for engines),

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