Summary
The monitoring program "Ecosystem Monitoring in Coastal Water - Økokyst" aims at monitoring the environmental status along the Norwegian coast according to vannforskriften (the Water Framework Directive). The subprogram Norskehavet Sør covers the coastal area along the Norwegian Sea, from Ulsteinvik in the South to Helgeland in the North. Of the 11 water bodies that could be classified, 1 obtained «very good» state, 7 obtained “good” state and 3 “moderate” state. The state was at least “good” for macroalgae, soft bottom fauna and phytoplankton, while it was the supporting elements and sea grass which reduced the state for the stations classified as “moderate”.