Shallow bays in the Baltic Sea are biologically very productive and offer an environment for many plants and animals, manyof which are threatened by extinction. The bays are considered to be very important spawning grounds for fish, for examplepike and perch. There is scant knowledge about the spawning- and growth environments for various species of fish, andthere is a significant need to identify important areas and protect them from damage from e.g. dredging and fertiliserrunoff. The need for this information is emphasised by the alarming reports from various regions in the archipelago.The goal of the project was to characterise production of fish fry in bays in terms of propagation and nature of the bottomvegetation and other environmental factors. This provides us with possibilities to identify indicators of the environmentalstatus and quality according to the criteria supplied by the EU in the directives for surface water and internationalenvironmental goals. As a result of the experiences and knowledge gained within the project, the aim was also to outlinerecommendations for how systematic inventory of shallow sea bays should be made. By protection against exploitation ofimportant spawning grounds, requirements to preserve several fish species can be met, which in turn provides a possibilityfor a viable archipelago where the fishing industry is an important component.The project addressed a wide target group, from civil servants within state and municipality with responsibilities for physicalplanning, natural conservation and environmental monitoring, to the various industries that utilise the archipelago’s resources. Achievements: Please refer to the 'Description' field, which also includes the achievements of this project.