What was the impact of the WWI North Sea mine barrage?

raharris1973

Gone Fishin'
Donor
Monthly Donor
Although Britain started blockading Germany from the beginning of WWI,
the allies did not a complete a mine barrage between Scotland and
Norway until early 1918 (or possibly late 1917)?

What effect, if any, did this marine obstacle course have on German
surface and subsurface operations, and on blockade-operations, and
neutral commerce? Did it have marginal utility in reinforcing the
blockade, or was it just an ostentatious demonstration of naval
superiority that was a waste of effort?
 
IIRC the Royal Navy already had a cruiser screen across the North Sea well before that; if that's the case, very little.
 
As I understand it, the Germans got quite a few u-boats through the much tighter Dover barrage, so it is unlikely that the North Sea one had much effect.
 
Top