Bringing together marine management professionals, scientists, experts, coastal authorities and representatives of non-governmental organisations from nine European countries, the International Conference "The Future of Marine Spatial Conservation: from Science to Policy" of the LIFE REEF project of the Nature Conservation Agency (NCA) was held.

Around 100 participants took part in the three-day conference, which brought together professionals, experts and local government representatives to share experiences and seek common solutions to protect the Baltic Sea ecosystems and strengthen cooperation between scientists and policy makers.

Opening the conference, Laura Anteina, Director General of the Authority, stressed that sustainable nature conservation is only possible if policy decisions are based on science: "This conference addresses the fundamental question of how to translate scientific findings into real policy. This is not just a theoretical question. It is a question of understanding that sustainable nature conservation is only possible if science becomes the basis for decision-making on marine protection."

She also highlighted the importance of the project " LIFE REEF ", which has provided the scientific basis for the inclusion of new marine protected areas in the Natura 2000 network, highlighting the Alka Bank, a unique underwater landform in the Baltic Sea that resembles a small underwater city. "This remarkable discovery in our own marine waters shows an important truth: the more we study the marine environment, the greater the need to protect it. Biodiversity is not just an abstract concept in scientific papers - it is the foundation of a healthy, resilient sea that can sustain both the marine ecosystem and the human communities that depend on it," said Ms Anteina.

A total of six plenary sessions and discussion panels at the conference addressed how economic activity and nature conservation can be combined in the sea. Particular attention was paid to how to build inclusive, meaningful dialogue with social partners to promote balanced and sustainable maritime governance in the long term.

In the introduction to the conference, participants learned about the importance of marine protected areas in Latvia and Europe. The political aspects of MPAs, the status of the Baltic Marine Protected Areas and Latvia's experience in mapping underwater habitats in Europe were discussed. Participants also learned about Latvia's experience in prioritising sites based on species distribution and ecosystem services. Lithuanian experts shared current challenges, while participants from Italy and Spain presented their experiences in conserving biodiversity and managing protected areas.

In a session on integrating marine protected areas into marine and coastal planning, experts from Spain, Sweden, Denmark and Latvia shared their experiences on implementing the ecosystem approach to management, highlighting the importance of science-policy cooperation.

The results of an Italian study on the impact of small-scale fisheries on habitats were also presented. Latvia shared a study on cumulative pressure and ecosystem function analysis, Denmark on scenario-based impact assessment methods, and Estonia on protected area prioritisation and optimisation solutions.

In the session on coastal fisheries management, participants learned about the Swedish experience in coastal fish and habitat conservation, the Latvian approach to sustainable fisheries and invasive species management, and the Lithuanian solutions to reduce seabird by-catch in the Baltic Sea.

The final session discussed stakeholder engagement in marine conservation processes. Latvian representatives presented how nature protection can be justified by economic arguments, presented the experience and challenges of the " LIFE REEF " project in stakeholder engagement, and looked at wind farm development scenarios and interactions with nature protection requirements. The discussion focused on how to balance economic interests with the conservation of nature.

To summarise the working sessions, a panel discussion was held on strengthening cooperation and integrating data in marine governance. The conference also included a poster session, allowing industry professionals and stakeholders to expand their knowledge of marine research, protection and management beyond the working sessions. On the third and final day, participants went on a tour around Liepaja, exploring the Karosta, the Northern Pier and the Northern Forts and gaining knowledge about the Latvian coastal ecosystem, conservation of biodiversity and the importance of historical heritage.

The conference confirmed that the Baltic Sea is a shared asset whose protection requires scientific vision, political courage and long-term cooperation. Participants agreed to continue work on strengthening the network of marine protected areas and improving marine governance throughout the Baltic region.