Marine science contribution to the ecosystem-based management of Baltic Sea

Abstract

Summary form only given. Ecosystem-based management has become a corner stone in the modern marine environment management strategies and directives. It is a management approach, which is relying on information derived from the scientific knowledge of the marine ecosystem structure and function under external forcing. The conditions for the successful application of the ecosystem-based management are that (1) research is producing the knowledge required for decision making on environment management issues, (2) there are contact surfaces between scientists and decision makers and (3) there are appropriate mechanisms for synthesis and analysis. These conditions do not evolve by themselves. How could they be fostered? A major driving force for new research is research itself - a new finding usually generates new scientific questions and challenges the curiosity of the researcher. It is the challenge to the RTD authorities to make this self directioning knowledge producing process to proceed into the direction, which in the best way gives benefit to the society. The main tool serving that purpose is research funding, which is channeled through a research programmes addressing the questions of societal importance. The funding agencies around the Baltic Sea have recognized the power of funding in fostering marine science contribution to the ecosystem based management of the Baltic Sea. During the past four years nine research funding agencies around the Baltic Sea have joined their forces, and systematically developed a joint Baltic Sea Research Programme, BONUS-169. The goal of the programme is to create a cooperative, interdisciplinary, well integrated and focused transnational research programme in support of the Baltic Sea region's sustainable development and to provide scientific outputs that facilitate the implementation of ecosystem-based management of the Baltic Sea environmental issues. The aim is to form the basis for prudent management aimed at safeguarding the sustainable use of the ecosystem's goods and services. The funding cooperation has been institutionalized through the establishment of the 'Baltic Organisations Network of Funding Science EEIG' - BONUS EEIG. The first call for proposals with total funding of ca. 23 million euro and jointly funded by the national funding agencies and the European Commission was opened in the fall 2007. It was received well by the scientific community with over 900 participations. The scientific and relevance evaluation process will ensure that research combining best scientific quality with high relevance to the ecosystem-based management will be funded. Coordination of the research to be funded is an instrumental part of the funding cooperation. The strategy is described in the 'BONUS-169 Science Plan and Implementation Strategy' (Hopkins et al. 2006). The novelty is the firm involvement of both scientists and knowledge end users in the programme.