Editing North Sea (section)

== Economy ==

The North Sea forms part of the main maritime route between the Atlantic Ocean, northern Europe, and the Baltic region. Traffic is concentrated near the Strait of Dover and on approaches to the Skagerrak. Navigation lanes and traffic-separation systems reduce collision risk in the most congested waters.

[[Rotterdam]] is the largest port connected directly to the sea. [[Antwerp]] is reached through the Scheldt estuary, while [[Hamburg]] is linked through the Elbe. Ports along the British coast handle containers, bulk cargo, ferries, and petroleum products. Aberdeen and Stavanger developed as service centres for offshore energy operations.

Fishing has supported coastal settlements for centuries. Herring fisheries became important during the medieval period, and later fleets expanded into demersal and industrial fishing. Declines in several stocks led to catch limits, seasonal closures, gear restrictions, and international management agreements.

Offshore natural gas development began during the 1960s. The West Sole field was discovered in 1965, and the Ekofisk oil field followed in 1969. Production expanded during the 1970s. Offshore platforms were connected with coastal terminals by long pipeline systems. Development was concentrated first in British and Norwegian waters, then extended through the Dutch, Danish, and German sectors. The basin became one of the main petroleum-producing regions of Europe.

Offshore wind power later became a major use of the shallow shelf. Large turbine arrays are connected to national electricity networks by submarine cables. The seabed also carries gas pipelines, electrical interconnectors, and telecommunications lines. Coastal tourism, harbour dredging, and the extraction of sand and gravel add further pressure on the available space.