Marine Protrected Areas in the Baltic Sea

Marine protected areas protect and conserve species and habitats, but also require management of marine uses such as private and commercial fishing through management plans that list protection measures and their implementation. Protective measures in marine protected areas worldwide are not uniformly regulated. In some areas, for example, some fishing methods are restricted or closed seasons are imposed, while in others there is a complete ban on fishing. Without appropriate protective measures, however, the destruction of habitats, loss of biodiversity and steady decline in fish stocks cannot be countered.

Study area Fehmarnbelt

From 26.05. to 09.06.2020, our scientists undertook an expedition with Elisabeth Mann Borgese (Expedition EMB238) to the Fehmarbelt marine protected area (MPA). The cruise brought the first dataset of all components of the benthic food web inside and outside the MPA. Among other things, samples were taken to investigate the biogeochemistry within marine sediment and sediment microorganisms - tiny to medium-sized invertebrates and small algae who live on and in the sediment. The morphology of the sediments themselves is also focus of investigations.

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