rannikkoveden

Rannikkoveden is the Estonian term for coastal waters, the zone where the sea and land meet along the Baltic coast. It includes bays, estuaries, lagoons, and shallow offshore areas that are influenced by both seawater and freshwater inputs.

Coastal waters in this sense are typically brackish, with salinity lowered by rivers and rainfall and subject to gradients in temperature and nutrients. They exhibit dynamic sediment transport and often support distinct ecological communities in the photic zone that differ from those of the open sea.

The ecology of rannikkoveden features shallow habitats such as reed beds, eelgrass meadows, and sandy bottoms that provide nursery areas for fish, invertebrates and waterbirds. Species commonly associated with these zones include Baltic herring and sprat, as well as migratory birds and various benthic organisms. The littoral zone supports biodiversity and overall coastal productivity.

Human use and governance of rannikkoveden cover fishing, recreation, tourism, and commercial shipping. Water quality and ecosystem health are managed under national environmental policies and the European Union Water Framework Directive, with regional cooperation across the Baltic Sea basin to monitor nutrients, pollutants and hydrological conditions.

Environmental pressures include nutrient runoff from agriculture, pollution, invasive species, overfishing and climate change, which can alter salinity, temperature and coastlines. Conservation and sustainable management efforts aim to protect key habitats, reduce nutrient inputs, and maintain the ecological integrity and productivity of these coastal waters.