Between November 20 and 23, 2000, the workshop "Baltic Coastal Ecosystems - Structure, Function and Coastal Zone Management" took place in Rostock, Ger many. The workshop was organised by the Institute of Aquatic Ecology of the University of Rostock and the Baltic Sea Research Institute Warnemiinde on be half of the Wissenschafts-Verbund Umwelt (WVU) at the University of Rostock. It was the third trans-disciplinary event that tried to link ecological and socio economical aspects with respect to the Baltic Sea. The first symposium was held in 1992, entitled "The Future of the Baltic Sea -...