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The
North-East Atlantic region stretches from the coast of Greenland
eastward to the North Sea, and from the North Pole southward
to the Straits of Gibraltar.
Its habitats range from tidal mud flats to steep cliffs, from shallow
estuaries to the deep seabed. Its ecosystems range from kelp forests to seagrass
beds to deep cold-water coral reefs.
The sea is rich in marine life, and the air above includes the East
Atlantic Flyway, a migratory route for millions of birds who use the coasts
for feeding and nesting.
The region faces threats through pollution, from the land, shipping and offshore
installations, through pressures on fish stocks from over fishing, through coastal
development and even through exploiting the seabed for sand and gravel.
The grounding of the Torrey Canyon in 1967, which released 117,000
tonnes of oil with disastrous consequences for the environment, was a pivotal
point for international cooperation to combat marine pollution in the North-East
Atlantic.
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