Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research

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North Sea expeditions

North Sea expeditions are regularly carried out to investigate a specific part and the environmental health status of the North Sea. Sometimes in cooperation with other institutes and/or universities. In most cases, the RV Pelagia is used for this, but also the RV Navicula for expeditions closer to the coast.

Sandeels & Seals - 3

Sandeels & Seals - 3

MAR 2021 | For the third time, Rob Witbaard and his team sails out to investigate the relationship between benthos and changes in the fishing industry. (In Dutch)

Sandeels & Seals - 2

Sandeels & Seals - 2

DEC 2020 | On board the RV Pelagia, researchers from NIOZ and WUR Marine are charting the seabed communities of the North Holland coast. (In Dutch)

Investigating North Sea Reef

Investigating North Sea Reef

SEP 2020 | Assessing the biogenic reefs will help us to determine the impact of their disappearance and can lead us to successful restoration of these habitats.

Carrying capacity of the North Sea

Carrying capacity of the North Sea

OCT 2019 | Pelagia cruises are organised to study the carrying capacity. During this cruise we will investigate methane and plastic degrading microbes.

Sandeels & Seals

Sandeels & Seals

OCT 2019 | In the Frisian Front area, new samples are compared with the situation in 2006 and 2012. In that time, the fishery has undergone an enormous change.

Carrying capacity of the North Sea

Carrying capacity of the North Sea

SEP 2019 | During this cruise, the ship stops several times to take water samples for algae research. That same water will be used to determine E-DNA.

Ecological research Duth Delta

Ecological research Duth Delta

OCT 2018 | In order to better understand the ecological consequences of the Delta Works, we investigate the areas of Oosterschelde, Haringvliet and Grevelingen.

Hidden secrets in the North Sea

Hidden secrets in the North Sea

JUL 2019 | The North Sea still hides many secrets An expedition addressing sea-level rise, oxygen loss and microbial breakdown of methane.

Protecting vulnerable habitats

Protecting vulnerable habitats

NOV 2017 | DISCLOSE studies how vulnerable the habitats and species in the North Sea are. Because if we know more, we can create a sustainable North Sea.

Expedition SANDBOX project

Expedition SANDBOX project

OCT 2017 | Sediment particles block the light and interfere with aquatic life. How these particles are exchanged between the sediment will be investigated.

Expedition Hotchpotch

Expedition Hotchpotch

JUN 2017 | During a week we will take samples near off shore oil platforms and hunt for bacteria at a place where methane seeps out of the ground.

Expedition Sea level rise

Expedition Sea level rise

JUN 2017 | Researchers will board the NIOZ research vessel RV Pelagia to sample peat layers that mark the transition from dry to flooded land.

Expedition North Sea

Expedition North Sea

JUN 2017 | We will investigate how sediment dynamics affects and is affected by sediment organisms and how this interaction is impacted by human intervention.