In today's society, the importance of the sea is growing even more. Maritime traffic is increasing and there is a desire to make more intensive use of maritime areas for new purposes, such as wind power generation. The challenge is to reconcile the different needs of use while taking care of the well-being of the sea.

Sustainable use of the sea is based on knowledge and regulations

The use and pollution of the sea is governed by both national legislation and international agreements and commitments. The aim of the provisions is to ensure that the sea is used sustainably - that is, that the use of the sea does not degrade the state of the sea or endanger, for example, marine nature or maritime cultural heritage. The sea must also be actively managed together with other coastal states.

The different needs of maritime areas are coordinated through maritime spatial planning. The planning is based on information on the state of the sea areas and their suitability for different activities.

Maritime spatial planning and other maritime activities have a common goal: to achieve and maintain the good state of the Baltic Sea and to secure the diverse and sustainable use of the sea now and in the future.