Focus

Coastal & Marine Management Group

The Coastal and Marine Management Group carries out applied, interdisciplinary coastal and marine research. It focusses on human activities, interventions and measures in coastal and marine systems, the implementation of marine and coastal policy and impacts of as well as response and adaptation to regional changes.

Major topics are:

Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) – Further development of a Systems Approach Framework (SAF) and supporting tools, for example to improve stakeholder participation or to measure the success of management measures using an indicator system. Aim is to support a sustainable coastal management and planning.

Ecosystem Services – Development and application of methods and tools to assess changes in ecosystem goods and service provision of coastal and marine systems.

Eco-technologies – Assessment and implementation of measures that improve the ecological status of coastal waters and support environmental policies, like the Water Framework Directive (WFD). Example is the cultivation of different mussel species to improve water quality. 

Marine Litter – Development of monitoring methods and strategies as well as indicators and pollution thresholds. Further, assessment of the state of pollution, spatial transport pattern and the effectiveness of measures with the aim to support the implementation of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD).

Eutrophication & water quality – Water quality assessments, indicators and targets as well scenario simulations. Analysis and assessment of bathing water quality, potential pollutants and human pathogens, such as vibrions.

The German association EUCC – The Coastal Union is a major co-operation partner and helps to bridge the gap between coastal science and practice. A close co-operation exists with the Marine Research Institute of Klaipėda University.