Summary
The stratification in the open sea areas of Skagerrak was very weak. In the Kattegat and the Baltic Proper sea surface temperature values was slightly above normal. Surface nutrients showed mainly values typical for the season, except for silicate which had concentrations well above normal in the Eastern Gotland Basin and the levels below normal in the southern parts of the Baltic Proper. The major inflow during December 2014 had not reached further north than during the previous cruise in October and the oxygen situation in the deep water had deteriorated slightly. Hydrogen sulphide is still present in Western and Northern Gotland Basins. Plankton activity was generally low.