Norwegian Sea
The Norwegian Sea is a marginal sea situated in the North Atlantic Ocean, bordered by Norway to the northwest, Greenland to the southeast, and Iceland to the east. Covering an estimated surface area of around 1,380,000 square kilometers (533,000 square miles), it is characterized by significant depth, with an average depth of about 1,700 meters (1,860 yards) and the deepest point reaching approximately 3,970 meters (4,340 yards). The sea is distinguished by its strong currents, including the Norwegian Current, which brings warm water from the United Kingdom, contributing to its ice-free conditions.
Historically, during the late Cretaceous period and into the Pleistocene era, the Norwegian Sea underwent various changes in water temperature and current patterns, which potentially continue to influence today's marine environment. The Norwegian Sea supports a variety of marine life, including numerous fish species, marine mammals such as whales, and seabirds, though some of these populations face threats from overfishing, climate change, and pollution. Economically, the sea plays a vital role in the fishing and oil and gas industries, though these activities raise concerns about ecological impacts and environmental risks.
In recent years, the Norwegian Sea has gained strategic relevance due to the increasing accessibility of the Arctic Ocean, drawing international attention for its natural resources and prompting military and defense considerations among several nations. As the Arctic region evolves into a focal point of geopolitical interest, the Norwegian Sea is positioned as a significant area for exploration and resource competition.
Subject Terms
Norwegian Sea
The Norwegian Sea is a marginal sea that is part of the North Atlantic Ocean. A marginal sea is a sea that is partially landlocked or bordered by submarine ridges. The Norwegian Sea is located between Norway, Greenland, and Iceland. Specifically, the sea lies to the northwest of Norway, to the southeast of Greenland, and to the east of Iceland. Several other bodies of water surround the sea, including the Barents Sea, the Greenland Sea, and the North Sea. A submarine ridge stretching between Iceland and the nearby Faroe Islands separates the Norwegian Sea from the Atlantic Ocean. Furthermore, the Jan Mayen Ridge divides the Norwegian Sea and the Greenland Sea.
Because it is unclear where the Norwegian Sea begins and ends, its exact size is unknown. Some sources estimate that the surface area of the sea is about 1,380,000 square kilometers (533,000 square miles). The average depth of the Norwegian Sea is about 1,700 meters (1,860 yards). The deepest part of the sea is about 3,970 meters (4,340 yards).
The Norwegian Sea has strong currents and moderate water temperatures. Furthermore, the Norwegian Current carries warm water north from the United Kingdom, into the Norwegian Sea, and then into the Barents Sea. For these reasons, the Norwegian Sea is void of any ice. Back in the Pleistocene era and in the early Holocene, the Norwegian Sea underwent changes in current.
Today, many species of fish, marine mammals, and seabirds make the Norwegian Sea their home. Additionally, coral reefs and sponge communities exist in the sea. Some of this marine life, however, is threatened because of overfishing, food shortages, climate change, pollution, ocean acidification, and oil and gas activities.
History
During the late Cretaceous period (between 66 and 100 million years ago), the water temperatures of the Norwegian Sea were between 50 and 62 degrees Fahrenheit. The sea then experienced an counterclockwise gyre, or large circular surface current, during the Pleistocene era, which spanned from 2.6 million to about 12,000 years ago. In the early Holocene era that followed, the gyre pattern broke down and current patterns began shifting. These changes in current may have been a result of climate change caused by mankind.
In about the ninth century, the Norwegian Sea became an important sea route. About this time, the Norwegian Vikings began using the sea for trading and pillaging. The sea route took them south to the North Sea, the Sea of the Hebrides, and the Irish Sea. Along the way, the Vikings pillaged and traded goods, including timber, furs, and walrus ivory. They also sold slaves to the Arab world.
Marine Life
The Norwegian Sea is home to numerous species of fish, marine mammals, and seabirds. However, compared to the other seas of the world, the Norwegian Sea has a below-average species diversity of marine life. Fish living in the sea’s waters include salmon, cod, herring, blue whiting, saithe, and mackerel. Marine mammals include the blue whale, fin whale, humpback whale, and minke whale. These species of whale use the Norwegian Sea to migrate between breeding areas. Zooplankton provides food for the fish and marine mammals of the sea. Among the species of seabirds that live near the Norwegian Sea are gulls, guillemots, eider ducks, and little auks. About forty species of seabirds, totaling about 1.6 million seabirds, use the Norwegian Sea, particularly during the breeding season.
Some of the marine life of the Norwegian Sea has been threatened. For example, some fish stocks are low, including coastal cod, blue whiting, Greenland halibut, and golden and beaked redfish. Low fish stocks could be caused by climate change, pollution, ocean acidification, and overfishing by commercial fisheries. Additionally, certain species of seabirds are in danger, including the common guillemot, the common eider, the puffin, the kittiwake, and the shag. A shortage of food is perhaps the largest threat to these seabirds. Climate change and commercial fisheries may also be contributing to the problem.
Coral reefs and sponge communities are also present in the Norwegian Sea. They attract many other species and are vital to the sea’s ecosystem. Like the sea’s other marine life, however, corals and sponges are in danger. For example, bottom trawling is a threat to some coral reef and sponge communities. Bottom trawling is a fishing method in which a large, weighted net is pulled across the floor of the sea.
Researchers say that the Norwegian Sea will experience the true impact of ocean acidification by 2025. An increase in acidic seawater will likely be most harmful to calcifying phytoplankton and zooplankton, corals, and cephalopods, as it will damage these species’ calcium shells and skeletons. The impact of climate change on marine life is unclear.
Influence on Industries
The Norwegian Sea is an important resource for several industries, including the fishing and oil and gas industries. The sea boasts excellent fishing grounds that are very productive. Additionally, oil and gas activities on the sea are important for business in Norway and the United Kingdom. However, these activities increase pollution and the risk of accidents on the Norwegian Sea, including oil spills and the release of oil, chemicals, and radioactive substances.
Global Hot Spot
In the 2020s, the prospect of the Arctic Ocean, to include the Norwegian Sea, as being an accessible global waterway was increasingly becoming a reality. In addition to Arctic Ocean petroleum, many other natural resources became contestable. As Russian posturing became commonplace, Chinapreviously not an international player in this regionwas now included in a list of countries that could consider this region ripe for economic exploitation. In the 2020s, China displayed a more aggressive posture for inclusion in the governance of an internationally-accessible Arctic region.
The emerging reality of the Arctic as growing in strategic importance as the "new Mediterranean Sea" prompted the defense officials of many Western countries to begin upgrading the capabilities of their military forces to operate in these types of climatic conditions. As one example, in February 2024, the US Army conducted a large-scale combat exercise in Alaska designed to develop tactics and procedures for operating in this extreme environment. The United States began extending training to military forces of other countries to its training sites. Countries participating with US forces included Canada, South Korea, Mongolia, Finland, and Sweden.
In October 2024, the Chinese Coast Guard claimed one of its vessels had joined in a patrol of the Arctic Ocean with a ship from the Russian navy.
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