The Baltic Sea is in crisis – overfertilisation, intensive use and the loss of valuable habitats are taking their toll. At the same time, current projects by Rewilding Oder Delta and partners show that solutions are possible: sustainable fishing, restoration of seagrass meadows and reefs, more dialogue across national borders. At the international conference ‘Sea of Opportunities’ in Stralsund, concrete steps were discussed – and a strong network was established to promote the protection of the Baltic Sea in the future.
How can we work together across countries and sectors to improve the protection of the Baltic Sea and pave the way for effective protection and restoration measures in the marine and coastal ecosystems of this threatened sea? Developing solutions to this question was the core theme of two projects by Rewilding Oder Delta AND, at the same time, the guiding question for the international conference ‘Sea of Opportunities: Cooperation for Effective Protection and Restoration of the Baltic Sea’, which took place from 22 to 24 September at the OZEANEUM in Stralsund.
Around 80 representatives from various authorities, research institutes and interest groups from Germany, Sweden, Lithuania and Poland accepted Rewilding Oder Delta‘s invitation. These included Rüdiger Strempel, Executive Secretary of HELCOM, the Helsinki Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment in the Baltic Sea Area, and Sebastian Unger, Head of Division at the BMUKN.
Why protecting the Baltic Sea is more urgent than ever
The Baltic Sea has still not achieved a good environmental status. At the conference in Stralsund, it became clear that:
- Human activities on the coast and at sea must be brought more into harmony with nature.
- Overfertilisation and the resulting nutrient inputs from agriculture into the Baltic Sea must be reduced.
- Fishing must be designed on an ecosystem basis so that biodiversity and food webs in the sea are protected.
- Valuable habitats such as seagrass meadows, reefs and salt marshes must be restored. This is necessary for us humans.
- Raising awareness of this issue – among the general public and various interest groups – is the first step towards sustainable protection of the Baltic Sea.
- Dialogue with all stakeholders is an important basis for planning and implementing measures and, in particular, for ensuring their acceptance.
The Baltic Coast Dialogue Network: Developing solutions through dialogue
How can cooperation across borders and sectors be achieved? One approach is the Baltic Coast Dialogue Network, which was established as part of a two-year project by Rewilding Oder Delta and international partners. The project is funded by the BMUKN as part of the European Environmental Initiative (EURENI) and will formally expire at the end of 2025. Rewilding Oder Delta, the Baltic Environmental Forum from Lithuania, the Swedish Fisheries Secretariat (FishSec), the Hel Marine Station of the University of Gdańsk, the Polish Society for the Protection of Birds (OTOP) and Deutsche Umwelthilfe e.V. have established a network of various stakeholders in the Baltic Sea region.
In a total of four workshops, representatives from nature conservation, fisheries, agriculture and other interest groups discussed how conflicts between use and protection can be better resolved. The focus was primarily on sustainable fisheries management. The results were presented at the conference in Stralsund, accompanied by the latest research findings on topics such as:
- Nutrient inputs into the Baltic Sea,
- Dealing with invasive species in the Baltic Sea,
- Dealing with fisheries in protected marine areas,
- Ecosystem-based fisheries management
A milestone: the establishment of a LinkedIn group for the Baltic Coast Dialog, which is already being actively used and continues to connect interested parties. This exchange platform makes it possible to communicate and discuss a wide range of topics related to the Baltic Sea and its protection, as well as to find answers to pressing questions. Join here: join the group. The international perspective makes it clear that sustainable protection of the Baltic Sea can only be achieved through cross-border and cross-sectoral cooperation. This makes it all the more important to remain connected beyond the conference and the project.
The focus is particularly on sustainable fisheries management. The fifth workshop in the dialogue series will be held in Poland on 13 and 14 November 2025. The topic: Bycatch of marine mammals and seabirds in the Baltic Sea – turning knowledge into action. Register at the following link to participate in the event: Event registration Workshop Bycatch
Restoring marine habitats: More than just nature conservation
A second focus of the conference was the results of the Rewilding Oder Delta project ‘Advantages of restoring marine ecosystems and their services to the German Baltic Sea’, funded by the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation with funds from the BMUKN. The focus was on four particularly valuable habitats:
- Seagrass measdows
- Stone reefs
- Sandy beaches and sandy habitats
- Salt marshes
These habitats are not only ecologically significant, but also contribute to coastal protection, tourism, fisheries, agriculture and climate protection. The project aimed to bring together the expertise and experience of various stakeholders with initial restoration measures and to raise public awareness of the ecological and economic benefits of habitats typical of the Baltic Sea.
In four workshops, Rewilding Oder Delta worked with experts to develop specific recommendations for restoring these habitats, which were presented for the first time at the conference. The results were supplemented by fact sheets, interviews and an explanatory video, which are already available online. LINKS can be found at the bottom of the article.
European perspective: Rewilding Seascape
At the European level, the restoration of marine habitats is gaining increasing attention – as part of a broader vision of Blue Restoration.
Fabien Quetier from Rewilding Europe emphasized in Stralsund how crucial an integrated and cross-border approach is:
“Restoring the Baltic Sea requires an integrated approach, and it was great to see the different practical knowledge for this brought together at the conference.”
He highlighted that the conference sent an important signal for political engagement and collaboration:
“It was great to see the need to restore the Baltic Sea get strong political support at the conference.”
At the same time, he stressed that restoring the Baltic does not start at sea alone:
“Rewilding the watersheds that flow into the Baltic Sea is critical to decrease the flow of pollutants into the coastal and marine ecosystems.”
This European perspective underlines that the Sea of Opportunities reaches far beyond national borders – rewilding begins on land and extends all the way into the depths of the sea.
Conclusion: Protecting the Baltic Sea requires cooperation
The conference and the two projects made one thing clear: protecting and restoring the Baltic Sea will only succeed if all stakeholders act together – across national borders and sectors. Dialogue, scientific expertise and concrete measures form the basis for this.
We all bear responsibility for preserving this unique marine region – as a habitat for countless species, as an economic factor for coastal regions, and as an important ally in climate protection and the protection of our natural resources.
You can find more information about the projects, results and participation in the Baltic Coast Dialog here:
- [Baltic Coast Dialog Website] – Link
- [LinkedIn Page of the Baltic Coast Dialog] – Link
- [LinkedIn Group of the Baltic Coast Dialog] – Link
- [Web articles as well as fact sheets of the “Marine Ecosystems and their Services Project”] Sand Habitats, Salzgrasländer, Stone Reefs, Seegras
- [Link to Video] – Link
Text: Ulrike Frenzel, Katrin Wollny-Goerke, Laura Meinecke, Katrin Quiring
Photos: Ulrike Frenzel
Editorial: Ulrike Frenzel