In light of recent developments of the onboard ballast water treatment, WMR has developed a new protocol for the assessment of ecotoxicological effects and aims to use it as a standardised test. This study looks into the validation of this short-chronic ELS fish toxicity test, by use of the embryonic …

Coral reefs have been in decline over the past decades. This has greatly increased the need for restorative measures. The islands of Saba and St. Eustatius, two special Dutch municipalities in the Dutch Caribbean, are not exempt to this decline. The Saba Conservation Foundation and St. Eustatius National …

De bijvangst van ondermaatse grijze garnalen (Crangon crangon) vormt een probleem voor de garnalenvisserij in de kustzones van Nederland, Duitsland en Denemarken, die voornamelijk vist in beschermde gebieden. De grote visserijdruk op ondermaatse garnaal heeft geleid tot verschillende problemen, waaronder …

This thesis research aimed to answer the question whether Passive Acoustic Monitoring (PAM) data of humpback whales can improve management of the Yarari Marine Mammal Sanctuary in the Dutch Caribbean. This study looks at data recorded on the Saba Bank from December 2016 until April 2017. The PAM data …

Coastal lagoon ecosystems are transitional waters, that provide important ecological features and deliver valuable services to mankind. However, due to their geographical positioning at the coast line and physical restrictions, coastal lagoon ecosystems are highly vulnerable towards environmental and …

It has been widely recognized that the rapidly increasing amounts of marine plastic debris are causing problems. However, current studies are mainly focused on the presence and effects of macroplastic and often do not consider microplastic. WMR has conducted research on microplastic uptake by North Sea …

Coastal soft-sediment habitats are some of the most valued ecosystems due to their high productivity, sustaining coastal food webs. However, coastal soft-sediment habitats are under pressure due to human activity and sea level rise. To preserve or restore soft-sediment habitats different management strategies …

The seeding of mussel seeds is an important factor within the mussel culture as losses can be as high as 75% within the first 4 weeks after seeding. Therefore it is important to get more knowledge about the factors that can cause mortality within the first weeks after seeding. With seeding high local …

Wageningen Marine Research (WMR) conducts a variety of monitoring programs in Dutch waters. These monitoring programs are conducted to gain knowledge of trends, abundance and diversity of fish species in the Dutch rivers and lakes. Many monitoring programs pay special attention to diadromous fish which …

The coral reefs around the world have been under very big pressure. In some places up to 95% coral coverage is already gone. For this big decrease there are many different causes, ranging from natural disasters to predation and sickness. Even humans have a big influence on the coral reefs. To protect …