Background The coastal area of Southwest Finland is part of the Baltic Sea, between the Baltic proper and the Bothnian Bay. The project area consists of the coastal waters and their drainage area. The archipelago of some 8300 km2, which is the largest in the Baltic, is topographically complex, having more than 2000 islands and some 12000 km of coastline. The sea area is characterised by low salinity and a strong seasonality with high summer temperatures and ice cover during the winter. The coastal areas in the archipelago is facing conflicts between economic and recreational activities, tourism as well as the need for nature protection. The economic activities are fishing and fish farming, specialised agriculture, animal husbandry and basic industries. Sea transport and land transport are important factors causing pollution. The permanent population is some 30 000 people, but the area also has some 20 000 summer cottages, which means that the population is considerably increased during the summer months. Objectives The project objectives, on a general level, were to develop and implement innovative and effective measures for integrated coastal zone management in Southwest Finland. This was to include participatory planning with all relevant stakeholders involved, and creating a framework for decision-making to ensure that the special circumstances of the area were taken into consideration. Project implementation consisted of two main activities. A very comprehensive data collection and sampling programme covering all relevant aspects was to be carried out. This was to be followed by a thorough analysis concentrating on conflicting factors and on the identification of different management options. A specific pilot project, to demonstrate coastal zone management in an operational context, was to be established in the northern part of the area, around the town of Uusikaupunki. Results The project has enabled the drawing up of an Integrated Coastal Zone Management strategy (ICZM) for Southwest Finland. This included taking stock of existing data, networking with relevant stakeholders, which has contributed to the conflict assessment between environmental objectives and economic activities in the area. The strategy was piloted in the Uusikaupunki area. The availability of data proved to be the main constraint for the project. Additional efforts were made to ensure the availability of relevant, reliable and detailed data for public use. Some of the constraints encountered were the restrictions on data use due to confidentiality issues relating to national defence, the costs of data, etc. The project has addressed the policy objectives and priorities of the Water Framework Directive, the Habitats Directive and implementation of national legislation. The project has served as a demonstration pilot for the compilation of the Finnish national ICZM strategy. After the LIFE project ends, the project personnel and their know-how will be used to continue the work on compiling the national strategy. The strategy is addressing the issues and constraints of preserving the regional (traditional) lifestyle and economic activities while at the same time tackling the need for environmental protection of the HELCOM hot-spot area of the Archipelago Sea. Thus the project results have are focused on ensuring socio-economic aspects and environmental sustainability. An innovative aspect of the project lay in making the best use of up-to-date GIS information and aerial photos for a more detailed identification of conflict points in the area, and the extensive inclusion of regional stakeholders and the general public to ensure a shared understanding of integrated coastal zone management.