11 Jun 2011

Dogger Bank Expedition

discovery of a new wilderness

On June 11 2011 team Duik de Noordzee Schoon organized a ten-day expedition to the Dogger bank and Cleaver bank. The expedition aims to visualize specific nature areas and to contribute to their protection by removing lost fishing gear. The team consists of biologists, photographers, filmmakers, a journalist and support divers.


The North Sea is the largest nature reserve in the Netherlands. In the North Sea are several additional areas of interest to the North Sea Nature: the Cleaver Bank, Dogger Bank and Brown bank. Organizations such as WWF, Greenpeace, North Sea Foundation, EUCC, IMARES and Bureau Waardenburg believe that these areas should soon be designated as protected area.

Due to the remoteness of the Dogger Bank and the Cleaver Bank, the areas are unexplored and there is not much footage available of its beautiful underwater nature. Many Dutch people do not know what kind of value there is hiding under the surface. The unfamiliarity of the area under the Dutch public was the reason for organizing this expedition to the Dogger Bank and Claver bank.

The aim of the expedition was to document and visualize the underwater life on the wrecks, stone reefs and peat/sand banks. With the results the importance of protecting these habitats is proven. In addition, a team of divers removed hundreds of KG discarded fishing gear from the wrecks and the seabed and contributes to the livability of the habitats for under water life.

Klaudie Bartelink -one of the expedition team members- made a short documentary of this trip which is now released to the public.
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