These Wikipedia excerpts provide a comprehensive look at the Barents Sea and the Dutch navigator Willem Barentsz, for whom the sea is named. The entry for the Barents Sea details its geography, geology, ecology, and economy, highlighting its status as an important fishing and hydrocarbon exploration site, and noting its connection to global warming and pollution. The entry on Willem Barentsz focuses on his life and three expeditions in search of the Northeast Passage during the late 16th century, documenting his discovery of Spitsbergen and Bear Island, his crew's subsequent shipwreck and winter survival on Novaya Zemlya, and the legacy of his explorations. Collectively, the sources connect Barentsz's historical efforts to map the Arctic with the contemporary environmental and economic importance of the sea named in his honor.
