Ecological assessment of dredging in the Eastern Gulf of Finland

Field studies in the form of Ecological Monitoring of Dredging and Reclamation (EMDR) program in the Eastern Gulf of Finland were carried out since 1999 by expert team specialists. Principal questions and goals of the EMDR are: (1) revealing of the short- and long-term environmental effects from dredging and reclamation, and establishing the difference between the natural and anthropogenic trends of the coastal ecosystems near the dredged material deposit sites; (2) estimation of reversibility/irreversibility of trends/changes in coastal ecosystems due to influence of dredging and reclamation; (3) finding the ways of minimizing and compensation of negative effects on the coastal environment. In general, the list of proposals to reduce and prevent the negative impact of dumping in the underwater deposit sites on the marine environment were formulated.