About the foundation

What does quality of life really mean? Many things, of course, but one of the most important is the environment we live in. What surrounds us and is always there. But with today’s negative developments, the Baltic Sea environment could collapse. For us, a sea without life is unthinkable. And we think you feel the same. Because there is no alternative: we need to keep the sea alive. Otherwise we die a little too. It’s a battle of life and death. And we are on the side of life.

What is a living sea?

We have a single goal: to keep the sea alive. But what does a living sea mean?

A sea full of fish

There are many different fish species here, of all ages and sizes. Fishing does not deplete fish stocks, and the fish we catch provides food for people.

Biodiversity

A wide range of plant and animal species interact with one another. High biodiversity strengthens the ecosystem and makes the sea more resilient to climate change.

Limited nutrient input

Nutrients are essential for life in the sea, but excessive amounts lead to eutrophication, algal blooms, and oxygen-depleted seabeds. By reducing nutrient leakage into the sea, we can improve conditions for life in the Baltic Sea.

Healthy habitats

The Baltic Sea’s shallow coastal bays are often called the nurseries of the sea, and rightly so. Healthy coastal environments are crucial for the entire marine ecosystem, but also important for people, providing opportunities for swimming, food, and recreation. Habitats further offshore also need to be in good condition for species to live, grow, and reproduce.

How we work for a living sea

Saving a sea is not easy and cannot be solved overnight. Change requires action, expertise, and perseverance. To keep our sea alive, we are working on a long-term basis with:

Measures that make a difference

We carry out large-scale environmental projects and applied research to demonstrate which actions contribute to a thriving sea.

Knowledge drives change

We enable new research and generate knowledge where it is needed. At the same time, we run a fish research laboratory, open to researchers and organizations from around the world studying cold-water fish species in the Baltic Sea.

From words to action

We conduct extensive, long-term advocacy work, based on science and evidence, to promote marine policies that put the Baltic Sea’s environment first.

BalticWaters is a fundraising foundation

BalticWaters’ work is made possible by donations from individuals and organisations. With the support of the foundation´s founder Ann-Sofie Mattson, we have established demonstration projects that show that change is possible, and we conducts active advocacy work. We have also established a fish research laboratory – the first and largest of its kind in the Baltic Sea region. But to continue to be an active voice, creating change and showing how it can be achieved, we need your support. A living sea requires long-term and persistent work – with new funding, we can continue to spread knowledge and contribute to research on effective measures. Want to contribute to our work? Visit our donate page.

Together with our partners and donors, we can join forces to keep the sea alive!

Statues and annual report

The statutes of the foundation can be found here (in Swedish). In 2023, BalticWaters changed its legal name – from Fundraising Foundation BalticWaters2030 to Fundraising Foundation BalticWaters. In everyday writing and speech, only BalticWaters is used. Link to the board decision can be found here (in Swedish).

BalticWaters’ latest annual report is available here (in Swedish).

More information about the board of directors and employees can be found here.