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 – Ecology, Economics, Administra- tion and Teaching", and the second event took place in 1996, entitled "Sustainable Development in Coastal Regions – a Comparison Between North Atlantic Coast and Baltic Sea". The workshop "Baltic Coastal Ecosystems – Structure, Function and Coastal Zone Management" tried to provide an interdisciplinary forum for discussions, the exchange of ideas and the presentation of scientific results with respect to the Bal- tic coast.