On April 21, 2026, the researchers involved in KOFI met for the first time at the IOW to launch the project. KOFI aims at investigating the development of biodiversity of marine benthic life and carbon storage in marine sediments following the mobile bottom-trawling ban in the Fehmarn Belt Natura 2000 site. The project, which is funded by the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN) with approximately 1.8 million euros, is led by the IOW and will run until March 2030.

Marine sediments play a major role in the global carbon cycle because they store large amounts of organic carbon long-term. This carbon originates from dead marine organisms and is deposited on the bottom of the ocean. At the same time, the seafloor is a very important part of the marine ecosystem: Its inhabitants – the so-called benthic communities – are an essential component of marine food webs and, as a “marine filtration system,” play a vital role in the functioning of marine ecosystems. However, benthic habitats are under severe pressure from human activities. In particular, bottom-trawling fishing disrupts the structure of the seafloor, stirs up sediments, and alters biological and biogeochemical processes.

This is where the KOFI project (short for: Study on the development of carbon storage and biodiversity following the exclusion of fishing in the Fehmarn Belt Natura 2000 area) comes in. It investigates how the fishing ban in the Fehmarn Belt, which has been in effect since November 2024, affects the regeneration of benthic communities and carbon storage. The researchers will compare areas within the protected zone with adjacent reference areas that are still open to fishing. They will also utilize data from previous IOW projects on the impacts of bottom-trawling as well as the distribution and function of benthic communities in the same study area.

Various methodological approaches are used in the project: Geo-acoustic techniques provide insights into the structure and development of the seabed, while molecular biological and image-based methods reveal changes in biodiversity. In addition, carbon sequestration processes in sediments and benthic biomass will be quantified.

The kick-off meeting at the IOW marked the start of the collaborative effort. About 20 participating researchers presented their approaches and discussed how the various methods can be effectively integrated. Key work steps were discussed and agreed upon, laying the groundwork for the upcoming project phases.

As KOFI aims at highlighting the effects of bottom trawling bans with regard to both, biodiversity and carbon storage, the findings are ultimately intended to contribute to more evidence-based and effective conservation efforts for sensitive sediment ecosystems.