Fladen Ground
Fladen Ground is an area in the Scottish sector of the North Sea, between Scotland and Norway, about northeast of Aberdeen. The Fair Isle current and East Shetland Islands Atlantic inflow form an eddy, creating a weak, anti-clockwise rotating vortex that is evidenced in the surface form of the seabed. Due to stratification of the water column in the summer months, seasonal variation of the temperature in deep water is low. Average water depth is in the range of, and the mostly muddy sea floor has been created by incoming sediments from the surrounding sea areas. The dominant benthic animals are polychaetes and shellfish and other seafoods are common.
Fladen Ground is rich in oil and natural gas and offers good fishing. Scottish vessels catch low-fat fish species, and Norway lobster. Danish and English vessels catch Northern prawn.In 2014 of the Fladen Ground was declared a Nature Conservation Marine Protected Area under the title Central Fladen MPA.
