Climate change and intensifying human use call for a monitoring upgrade of the Dutch North Sea

Regulatory monitoring of the Dutch part of the southern North Sea does not provide sufficient information to understand the observed changes in the physical, chemical and ecological environment. As a result, the Dutch North Sea policy and management is not appropriately supported by data. The monitoring lacks explicit objectives for integrated management and knowledge enhancement about system functioning. Ecological processes are not included in the programs. There is neither integration of monitoring of physical, chemical and biological parameters, nor is there integration of regulatory monitoring, project monitoring and applied in-depth research. In the meantime, the effects of climate change, the upscaling of renewable energy, and plans for intensifying offshore aquaculture make appropriate monitoring even more urgent. The Dutch North Sea management is therefore faced with the challenge of adapting the current monitoring without compromising continuity. This can be done by making monitoring hypothesis-driven, setting up an integrated monitoring strategy based on regulatory and project-based monitoring, combining structure and process measurements, applying new smart automated techniques, increased use of modelling and remote sensing, and conducting in-depth measurement campaigns. As the North Sea is bordered by several countries, such a renewed effort should be done in coordination with these countries.