The aim of the project is the development of recommendations for the integration of the demands of marine nature conservation into marine spatial planning processes and the comprehensive implementation of the ecosystem approach. The project is particularly focused on analyzing the potential benefits of landscape planning for the marine area, the definition of minimal requirements for the data basis, the establishment of connectivity between ecologically valuable areas as well as on the improvement of the Strategic Environmental Assessment. Knowledge transfer, international cooperation, the harmonization of marine spatial plans within the OSPAR and HELCOM marine waters and the extension of spatial planning measures to the high seas constitute another focus of the project.