Aquascope Facts
Boats at low water
A vital contributing factor to the low rate of water exchange is the lack of any notable tidal effect in the shallow bays along the Swedish coast. In the northern areas of the Swedish west coast, the difference between high and low water is about 30 cm, where as on the east coast of Sweden, it is only a few centimetres. This is very little compared to, for example Britian, where in certain areas the tidal difference can be up to 4-5 m on a daily basis and with such powerful tides large quantities of water are transported in and out of shallow bays and coves.

Over-fertilization in the shallow bays around the Baltic

The effects of over-fertilization in the Baltic are not really the same as along the Swedish west coast. This is because the water in the Baltic has another composition. The salt content varies greatly, from the almost freshwater in the far north of the Gulf of Bothnia to a much higher salt content to the south in the Baltic, reaching its maximum around The Belt in Denmark. Because of a well developed halocline, saltwater from the Skagerakk (because of its density) has difficulty reaching the shallow bays and coves during the summer months.
    Because the shallow bays of the Baltic have a different water exchange compared to the west coast, so also exists another situation with the type and distribution of the Marine fauna. Generally, the Baltic has fewer specie, but in larger numbers, while at the same time existing in an environment that they can just about survive in. It is therefore maintained that many of specie that exist in the brackish waters of the Baltic live a fragile existance and cannot tolerate large environmental changes. Therefore, the Baltic is a much more sensitive environment compared to other maritime areas. The food chain is also very simple and therefore more prone to interference.
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A splendid outing ?
Problems and expectations
”It was better before"
Seawater and soluble salts
The sea moves
Coastal waters are close to us
What is eutrofication?
Sources of over-fertilization
How the open masses of water are effected
How shallow bays are effected
What can we do?
Alga harvest

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Bo Johannesson | Martin Larsvik | Lars-Ove Loo | Helena Samuelsson