6.1 - Introduction6.2 - Common Problems6.2.1 - Lack of effective catchment management, control and regulation6.2.2 - Coastal zone pollution6.2.3 - Eutrophication6.2.4 - Conflict of uses in the coastal zone6.2.5 - Offshore activities6.2.6 - Introduction of non-indigenous species6.2.7 - Overexploitation of resources6.2.8 - Sea-level rises and climate changes6.2.9 - Relative importance of common problems6.3 - The European Seas: Overview6.4 - The Mediterranean Sea6.4.1 - General situation6.4.2 - Physical features6.4.3 - Biological features6.4.4 - Inputs6.4.5 - Contaminant levels6.4.5.1 - Heavy metals6.4.5.2 - Synthetic organic compounds6.4.5.3 - Oil6.4.5.4 - Microbiological contamination6.4.5.5 - Nutrients6.4.5.6 - Radionucleides6.4.6 - Biological effects6.4.7 - Conclusions6.5 - The Black Sea and the Sea of Azov6.5.1 - General situation6.5.2 - Physical features6.5.3 - Biological features6.5.4 - Inputs6.5.5 - Contaminant levels6.5.5.1 - Heavy metals6.5.5.2 - Synthetic organic compounds6.5.5.3 - Oil6.5.5.4 - Nutrients6.5.5.5 - Microbiological contamination6.5.5.6 - Radionucleides6.5.6 - Biological effects6.5.6.1 - Eutrophication6.5.6.2 - Opportunistic species6.5.6.3 - Fisheries6.5.7 - Conclusions6.6 - The Caspian Sea 6.6.1 - General situation6.6.2 - Physical features6.6.3 - Biological features6.6.4 - Inputs6.6.5 - Contaminant levels6.6.5.1 - Heavy metals6.6.5.2 - Synthetic organic compounds6.6.5.3 - Oil6.6.5.4 - Nutrients6.6.5.5 - Microbiological contamination6.6.5.6 - Radionucleides6.6.6 - Biological effects6.6.7 - Conclusions6.7 - The White Sea6.7.1 - General situation6.7.2 - Physical features6.7.3 - Biological features6.7.4 - Inputs6.7.5 - Contaminat levels6.7.6 - Biological effects6.7.7 - Conclusions6.8 - The Barents Sea6.8.1 - General situation6.8.2 - Physical features6.8.3 - Biological features6.8.4 - Inputs6.8.5 - Contaminat levels6.8.5.1 - Heavy metals6.8.5.2 - Synthetic organic compound6.8.5.3 - Oil6.8.5.4 - Radionucleides6.8.6 - Biological effects6.8.7 - Conclusions6.9 - The Norwegian Seas6.9.1 - General situation6.9.2 - Physical features6.9.3 - Biological features6.9.4 - Inputs6.9.5 - Contaminat levels6.9.6 - Biological effects6.9.7 - Conclusions6.10 - The Baltic Sea6.10.1 - General situation6.10.2 - Pysical features6.10.3 - Biological features6.10.4 - Inputs6.10.5 - Contaminant levels6.10.5.1 - Heavy metals6.10.5.2 - Synthetic organic compounds6.10.5.3 - Pesticides6.10.5.4 - Microbiological contamination6.10.5.5 - Oil6.10.5.6 - Nutrients6.10.5.7 - Radionucleides6.10.6 - Biological effects6.10.6.1 - Eutrophication6.10.6.2 - Fisheries6.10.7 - Conclusions6.11 - The North Sea6.11.1 - General situation6.11.2 - Physical features6.11.3 - Biological features6.11.4 - Inputs6.11.5 - Contaminant levels6.11.5.1 - Heavy metals6.11.5.2 - Synthetic organic compounds6.11.5.3 - Microbiological contamination6.11.5.4 - Oil6.11.5.5 - Nutrients6.11.5.6 - Radionucleides6.11.6 - Biological effects6.11.6.1 - Eutrophication6.11.6.2 - Fisheries6.11.6.3 - Introduction of non-indigenous species6.11.7 - Conclusions6.12 - The North Atlantic Ocean6.12.1 - General situation6.12.2 - Physical features6.12.3 - Biological features6.12.4 - Inputs6.12.5 - Contaminant levels6.12.5.1 - Heavy metals6.12.5.2 - Synthetic organic compounds6.12.5.3 - Microbiological contamination6.12.5.4 - Radionucleides6.12.6 - Biological effects6.12.7 - Conclusions6.13 - Conclusions and the Way Forward