THE BALTIC SEA AWARD

Östersjöfonden has been awarding persons and organisations for significant and prominent efforts for the Baltic Sea environment since 1990. Altogether, over 820,000 euros has been awarded to 91 persons and organisations over the years.

We want to honour those in the forefront of protection work. The purpose is to show the importance of the individual contribution: it is possible to change and improve! We also want to give these forerunners confirmation of the value of their work and inspire them further. Through the public attention of the award we highlight important Baltic Sea issues in the general discussion and strive to influence decision makers and public opinion. In addition to the the main prize, the Baltic Sea Award, we also give out the Youth Award, the Åland Award and Lasse Wiklöf’s parliamentarian award.

Award Winners

Baltic Sea Award 2023

Sergej Olenin

Sergej Olenin – Baltic Sea Award 2023
Professor Sergej Olenin, Klaipeda, Lithuania, is awarded for long-term research that has expanded and systematized our understanding of biological invasions in the Baltic Sea, distribution mechanisms of non-native species and their impacts on local ecosystems, habitats and communities. This knowledge helped develop practical methods for assessing the state of the marine environment, as well as managing biological invasions in the Baltic Sea Region and in Europe. He helped to establish interaction between young sea explorers from the eastern and western countries of the Baltic Sea through the organization of series of international student conferences. His extensive teaching activities resulted in the training of a new generation of marine biologists and ecologists in Lithuania.

Lasse Wiklöf Award 2023

Maria Gardfjell

Maria Gardfjell – Lasse Wiklöf Award 2023
Maria Gardfjell is awarded the Baltic Sea Fund’s Lasse Wiklöf prize for her commitment to protecting fish stocks in the Baltic Sea. In her role as a parliamentarian in Sweden’s Riksdag, she has, among other things, worked to protect stocks of coastal spawning herring as well as pushed the topic of relocating the trawl limit and made demands on the government to dare to act concretely.

Åland Award 2023

Tony Cederberg

Tony Cederberg – Åland Award 2023
Tony Cederberg is awarded the Baltic Sea Fund’s Åland Award for his great commitment to the well-being of the Baltic Sea. Cederberg relies on science in his advice to society and is a true defender of the environment. Cederberg’s knowledge is a great asset for Åland and the Baltic Sea.

The Youth Award 2023

Mikaela & Lukas Juhler

Mikaela & Lukas Juhler – Youth Award 2023
Mikaela and Lukas Julher are awarded the Baltic Sea Fund’s youth prize for taking matters into their own hands in an exemplary way to prevent plastic waste from damaging our oceans. By collecting plastic on Sweden’s east and west coast, Lukas and Mikaela contribute to the prevention of environmental problems via their CleanSea initiative. Their work to raise money by selling bracelets creates interest and commitment to the issue of plastic in waterways and along beaches. Since the start, they have cleared ocean bays of more than 42 tons of plastic.