The Gulf of Finland Science Days 2021. “New start for the Gulf of Finland co-operation”

The Gulf of Finland Science Days will be held in the Estonian Academy of Sciences in Tallinn, Estonia in 29-30 November, 2021.

The research program of the conference will include nearly 60 diverse oral and poster presentations covering different aspects of research done on Gulf of Finland by Estonian, Russian and Finnish marine scientists. The event is held in English and can be followed online by anyone interested.

The main goal of the annual conference is to improve the state of the environment in the Gulf of Finland through strengthened international cooperation. For this purpose researchers and senior government officials from Estonia, Finland and Russia will gather, to discuss environmental issues in the Gulf of Finland and to prepare the development and action plans. This year it is Estonia's turn to hold a conference.

The conference is supported by the Estonian Ministry of the Environment. Conference Reception will be held on November 29 in the Embassy of Finland, hosted by Timo Kantola, Head of Mission.

Conference video:

Day 1: Monday 29th November

9.30–10.00 Coffee and registration
Opening Session
10.00–10.20 Professor Tarmo Soomere, President of the Estonian Academy of Sciences
Annely Akkermann, Estonian Parliament
10.20–11.30 Plenary Session Keynote, Chair Tarmo Soomere
Comprehensive monitoring of nutrients and their loads is essential for GOF state evaluations
Heikki Pitkänen, Seppo Knuuttila, Jouni Lehtoranta, Mika Raateoja, SYKE. Video
Gulf of Finland coastal systems: Holocene development and human impact.
Darya Ryabchuk, VSEGEI. Video
Current knowledge about past and future climate changes in the Gulf of Finland region
Markus Meier, Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research Warnemünde and University of Rostock. Video
11.30–11.50 Coffee
11.50–13.00 Session 1: Marine spatial planning. Chair Kai Myrberg
Russian MSP Roadmap as an instrument for enhancing participation of Russia in the Pan-Baltic MSP process
Larisa Danilova, Andrei Lappo. Video
Finland’s Maritime Spatial Plan 2030
Riku Varjopuro. Finnish Environmental Institute. Video
Presentation about: Estonian MSP – practical experiences from the process
Eleri Kautlenbach, Estonian Ministry of Finance. Video
A geomorphic perspective on paradigms, history and coastal spatial planning in the Gulf of Finland, Kevin E. Parnell, Tarmo Soomere. Video
Tools for the implementation of ecosystem-based approach in Maritime Spatial Planning in the eastern part of the Gulf of Finland
Tatiana Eremina, Mikhail Shilin, Oksana Vladimirova, Vera Semeoshenkova, Aleksandra Ershova. Video
13.00–14.00 Lunch
Session 2: Marine litter. Chair Kevin E. Parnell
14.00–15.15 The fate and effects of small plastic debris in the northern Baltic Sea seafloor
Pinja Näkki, Aino Ahvo, Eronen-Rasimus, Eeva, Hartikainen, Samuel, Kaartokallio, Hermanni, Kankaanpää, Harri, Koistinen, Arto, Kari Lehtonen, Emil Nyman, Janina Pažusienė, Sirpa Peräniemi, Erika Sainio, Milda Stankevičiūtė, Raisa Turja, Outi Setälä, Maiju Lehtiniemi. Video
Beached litter and microplastics in the coastal zone of the Russian part of the Gulf of Finland
Alexandra Ershova, Tatjana Eremina, Irina Makeeva, Anastassia Kuzmina, Natalya Loginova. Video
Marine litter in remote islands of Estonian coastal sea
Tiia Möller-Raid, Maria Põldma. Video
Microplastics in urban stormwaters – designing a method to evaluate the microplastic discharges via stormwaters
Julia Talvitie, Finnish Environment Institute. Video
Microplastics abundance and composition in fishes and macrozoobenthic organisms of the NE Baltic Sea – list of potential target species for microlitter contamination assessment
Maria Põldma, Kaire Torn, Lauri Saks. Video
15.30–15.45Break
15.45–17.00 Session 3: Ecosystem studies, Chair Darya Ryabchuk
FINMARI Research Infrastructure – an integrated platform for Baltic marine research and observation
Katri Kuuppo, Maiju Lehtiniemi, Jari Haapala, Aarno Kotilainen, Ari Leskelä, Joanna Norkko, Jari Hänninen, Martin Snickars. Video
Exploring the potential of autonomous technologies for achieving sustainable Gulf of Finland
Victor Bolbot, Ahmad BahooTooroody, Osiris V. Banda. Video
The stratification in winter and its consequences
Taavi Liblik, Germo Väli, Inga Lips, Madis-Jaak Lilover, Villu Kikas, Jaan Laanemets. Video
Climate impact on runoff and nutrient removal for the GoF tributaries (results of SEVIRA Project)
Sergey Kondratyev, Marina Shmakova, Ekaterina Ivanova. Video
 17.00–18.00 Poster Session
19.00 Evening reception in the Embassy of Finland

Day 2: Tuesday 30th November

9.00– 10.15 Session 4: Technics and physics. Chair Heikki Pitkänen
The HAZLESS project: assessment of the transboundary issue of chemical pollution in the eastern Gulf of Finland
Ivan Kuprijanov, Andey Sharov, Nadezhda Berezina, Kari Lehtonen. Video
Seals in the Gulf of Finland a status review and perspectives
Mart Jüssi, ProMARE NGO, Mikhail Verevkin, University of St Petersburg. Video
Ecosystem services in the Gulf of Finland – the approach of MAREA project
Susanna Jernberg, Finnish Environment Institute. Video
Linking marine natural values and underwater cultural heritage to promote sustainable blue eco-tourism in the Gulf of Finland (Baltic Sea)
Robert Aps, Co-authors: Jonne Kotta, Mihhail Fetissov, Kristjan Herkül, Liisi Lees, Estonian Marine Institute, University of Tartu. Video
Perspectives for Integrated Multitrophic Aquaculture in the Gulf of Finland
Georg Martin, Co-authors: Jonne Kotta; Jack Hall, Estonian Marine Institute, University of Tartu. Video
10.15–10.45 Coffee
10:45–11:45 Session 5: Early career scientists. Chair Aleksandra Ershova
Microplastics in the northern Baltic Sea bottom sediments: distribution and method development
Jyri Tirroniemi, Co-authors: Outi Setälä, Maiju Lehtiniemi, Finnish Environment Institute. Video
Spatial and Temporal Distribution of Microplastics in the Gulf of Finland
Arun Mishra, Co-authors: Natalja Buhhalko, Kati Lind, Inga Lips, Urmas Lips, Taavi Liblik, Germo Väli, Tallinn University of Technology. Video
In search of relations between factors of underwater landscapes in the Eastern Gulf of Finland (the Baltic Sea) using GIS and statistics
Filipp Leontev, Co-authors: Marina Orlova, Daria Ryabchuk, Alexander Sergeev, A.P. Karpinsky Russian Geological Research Institute. Video
Methodological approaches to the establishment of regulations for the use of aquatorial zones of the maritime spatial plan in the Russian Federation
Natalie Nosenko, Co-author: Anastasia Anisimovets, Scientific and Research Institute of Maritime Spatial Planning Ermak NorthWest. Video
11:45 Closing words
Kai Myrberg (video) and Tarmo Soomere (video)
12.00–12.45 Light lunch