Marine Monitoring Nordland 2014

Summary

This report present data from monitoring carried out in 6 fjords (Glomfjorden, Nordfoldfjorden, Sagfjorden, Tysfjorden, Ofotfjorden og Øksfjorden) in county Nordland, northern Norway in 2014. Hydrographic measurements were made and water samples were analyzed for nutrients, chlorophyll a, and oxygen at 12 stations. Hard-bottom communities in the littoral zone were investigated at 19 stations. Various indexes have been used to calculate the status of the water quality in the fjords. There is not yet sufficient data to classify the water quality based on the nutrient and chlorophyll a data collected. Results from the chlorophyll a measurements showed great variation throughout the year, in each fjord. The spring bloom had started by mid-April, in all the fjords except Glomfjorden. In 2013 the spring bloom started already in March. Of all the fjords, Glomfjorden had the highest nutrient concentrations, algaebiomass (in the form of chlorophyll a) and lowest water transparency throughout the growth season. The oxygen concentration in the bottom-waters was high at all stations and they all met the criteria for very good conditions. Analysis of the species composition in the macroalgae communities in the littoral zone showed good to very good conditions at most of the investigated stations. Two stations in Glomfjorden showed moderat conditions. The index used to calculate the environmental conditions based on macroalgae (RSLA index) is not yet approved for the fjords north of Glomfjorden (all the other fjords in this survey). The results must therefore be regarded accordingly