Purpose of the study

The purpose of the monitoring programme is to provide an overview of the status and development in terms of acidification of Norwegian waters, and facilitate further monitoring of the effects of acidification.

The folowing objectives have been set for the programme:

— Examine status regarding pH and carbon system in Norwegian waters,

— Increase the knowledge of natural variability and geographic variation in pH and carbon system,

— Separating long-term trends in acidification trend from natural variability and quantifying the long-term trend,

— Identifying areas that are particularly vulnerable to ocean acidification in terms of finding suitable sites for monitoring of effects,

— Provide increased knowledge regarding exchange of CO2 between the ocean and atmosphere and the oceans' role as a carbon sink.