Ö/Øresund Patrol, Tårnby (2026)

15/06/2026

Möt teamet 🇸🇪🇩🇰 Mød holdet – Nathalie Eiris Henriksen

“As an ocean scientist, I’ve travelled to coral reefs and kelp forests far away. I kept asking why I felt such a pull toward distant places. I think it’s because those oceans made me feel something. Øresund never did - it was just white noise in my life - or so, I thought.

Øresund has been part of every step of my life - privately and professionally - and still, I never truly saw it. Øresund has always been my soundtrack. I just wasn’t listening.

I think many of us living along its shores feel the same. But Øresund is not background noise. It is a unique ecosystem - a gateway between two seas, where currents and salinity create conditions for life to flourish, if we allow it. It may be a human border, but the ocean does not recognize it. Neither should we.”

Nathalie spent her summers swimming, sailing, and getting to know Øresund. Later, she began sharing its stories through her work at Den Blå Planet and Havhøst.

Driven to protect ocean life under pressure, she earned a BSc, MSc, and PhD in marine microbiology. Her work and studies have taken her to leading marine institutions including James Cook University in Australia, The Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology in Germany, and Scripps Institution of Oceanography in California. She is an active science communicator, TEDx speaker, and winner of Denmark’s Ph.D. Cup 2024, broadcast nationally on DR1.

You can watch her TEDtalk about the importance of microorganisms here: https://youtu.be/Zaf-Md520ho

Today, Nathalie is our Science Program Director – fascinated by the ocean’s smallest inhabitants and passionate about making science impossible to ignore. At Øresund Patrol, she turns knowledge into action, and action into connection so others can see that Øresund is worth protecting.

We’re incredibly happy to have Nathalie on the team - bringing sharp insight, curiosity, and a lot of good humor.

🐢 Fun fact: I’ve never had a speeding ticket, but I’ve been stopped for driving too slowly - a pace I’m proud to keep in a fast-moving world.

📍Favourite place: Saltholm

🦠 Favourite animal: Mosdyr – mossdjur - coffin box moss animal (membranipora membranacea).

13/06/2026

Flera stenar 🇸🇪 🇩🇰 flere sten

Stones on the seabed and along the shore create hard surfaces for many species of algae to grow on. These underwater forests, in turn, become habitats for a wide range of marine animals. Often, stone reefs are so densely populated that the rocks beneath are no longer visible. They form vibrant and complex ecosystems that support many different life cycles in Öresund.

These reefs are largely a legacy of the last ice age, just like the landscape on land. However, during the 19th and early 20th centuries, growing cities created a high demand for building materials. As a result, stones were extensively removed from the seabed - literally “fished up” from Öresund - destroying important natural habitats.

Today, the remaining natural stone reefs in Öresund are mainly found along the more exposed and rocky coastlines, particularly in the northern parts. The further south you go, the fewer intact reefs remain from the original post-glacial formations.

In recent years, restoration projects have worked to rebuild stone reefs, and these efforts have gained increasing attention over the past decade. As soon as new stones are placed on the seabed, algae and animals quickly begin to colonise them.
The last photo shows a newly established stone reef from the project Køge Bugt Stenrev.

08/06/2026

Stå sammen med os! 🇩🇰🇸🇪Stå med oss!

Beneath the surface of Øresund lies a hidden world — This sea feeds us, connects us, and sustains us. But it needs our help ❤️‍🩹

Öresund Patrøl brings together scientists, divers, storytellers and ocean lovers on both sides of the sound — united by one mission: to understand, document and protect the waters that connect us.

Your membership directly funds marine research, education and conservation. Together we are louder, stronger and wiser 💪

If you want to get involved, you can sign up here:
https://www.oresundpatrol.org/get-involved

05/06/2026

Möt teamet 🇸🇪 🇩🇰 Mød holdet - Ulrika Larsson:

“In december 1987, a marine biologist from Lund University visited our school and showed a film about an Öresund on the brink of collapse. That day, everyone in my class created drawings with our learnings. I drew sad jellyfish, coughing fish, and a disappointed starfish - and got my very first piece published in the newspaper Sydsvenskan.”

That early encounter - and the uncomfortable truth about Öresund’s condition - never left Ulrika, who puts it like this: "Back then, the mindset was simple: Out of sight, out of mind. Öresund felt like a big unknown to most of us."

Ulrika left Skåne in the late ’90s but continued to follow Öresund from afar while educating herself in nature tourism and ecotourism and building a career guiding people through wild places. Early on, she came to understand that her path would always lead toward experiences rooted in deep care for people, animals, and nature alike. During the pandemic, Ulrika returned to Skåne and saw Öresund with fresh eyes:

“We grow blind to what’s on our own doorstep - we so often fail to see the gold right in front of us.”

Those fresh eyes saw something remarkable: lobsters, harbour porpoises, eelgrass meadows, and a WWII wreck lying just 300 meters from shore. An ecosystem quietly recovering ... if only people knew to look.

“Öresund is this entire region’s lungs. If Öresund can’t breathe - what does that mean for us?”

Ulrika is co-owner of LWimages, a production company she runs with her husband, Lukasz. Their joint work spans science, conservation, and adventure, with clients including National Geographic, The North Face, Science, and ESA - European Space Agency. In 2024, she was a finalist in the prestigious 'Ocean Photographer of the Year Award' in the category Human Connection: People & Planet Ocean.

https://www.lwimages.com/news-opy-2024-finalist-ulrika-larsson

Ulrika is co-founder and Director of Operations at Öresund Patrol. Her ability to navigate both open water and the bigger picture is a huge inspiration to our team and we are proud to have her on board.

🎉 Fun fact: Ulrika also works part-time as a firefighter.

📍Favourite place in/around Öresund: Kullaberg

🐬 Favourite animal: Tumlare - marsvin - harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena).

📸 Credit: Jakob H Kristensen - Bionaut

03/06/2026

Låt oss fira ålgräset 🇸🇪 🇩🇰 Lad os fejre ålegræsset🌿

Eelgrass is a vital part of the underwater landscape in Öresund. Growing in shallow waters where sunlight is abundant, eelgrass uses photosynthesis to absorb CO₂ and produce oxygen - supporting not only our atmosphere and water quality but marine life as a whole. Its dense underwater meadows stabilise the seabed, reduce coastal erosion, and create safe feeding and nursery grounds for juvenile fish, while also providing habitat for many non-migrating marine species 🐟

While estimates of carbon uptake and storage in eelgrass vary across studies - with differences in local conditions, species, and measurement methods - research consistently shows that eelgrass meadows are among the most efficient carbon sinks on the planet. In fact, they often outperform comparable terrestrial ecosystems, making them one of our strongest natural allies in the fight against climate change.

In Öresund, however, eelgrass faces significant challenges. High levels of nutrients entering the water - primarily from human activity - can lead to algal blooms. The 4th image shows what happens to eelgrass when these blooms reduce sunlight pe*******on in the water; the algae can ultimately suffocate the eelgrass, limiting its ability to grow and store carbon.

Encouragingly, restoration efforts are underway. Large-scale projects are carried out every year, highlighting the vulnerability of these ecosystems 🤩 In the 5th image, eelgrass transplantation is being carried out by a dedicated volunteer, supporting the efforts of scientists from the University of Gothenburg in Sweden and the University of Southern Denmark 🌊

01/06/2026

Bag kulissen 🇩🇰 🇸🇪 Bakom kulisserna

Storytelling takes a lot of logistics. Behind every story is a chain of planning, preparation, and persistence - reading environmental conditions, maintaining equipment, navigating charts, and spending long days around Øresund 🌊

For Øresund Patrol, it’s not just about capturing what’s out there, but about documenting, understanding, and protecting life above and below the surface.

Every step - from checking the weather 🌤 to preparing our equipment - is part of a bigger effort to bring attention to this unique marine environment and the challenges it faces. And while so much happens behind the scenes, we genuinely enjoy every part of the process.

29/05/2026

Möt teamet 🇸🇪 🇩🇰 Mød holdet – Helene-Julie Zofia Paamand

“I’ve been incredibly lucky to dive in the waters around Denmark and Sweden. Being part of ocean communities on both sides of Øresund, I felt a strong urge to bring them together, so that both politicians and citizens begin to understand — and treat — the Sound as one.”

After years of exploring Øresund, Helene came to see that the waters close to home are just as rich and captivating as any faraway dive destination. Perhaps even more so — because much of their beauty remains unseen, and they urgently need protection.
She believes the communities surrounding Øresund hold real potential for change. But that requires a deeper understanding of the remarkable life just beneath the surface — something we are privileged to live alongside.

Helene is a certified advanced scientific diver, underwater photographer, and diving instructor. She has shared her work through lectures in schools across Denmark, inspiring younger generations to explore life below the surface. In 2017, she took on the title Underwater Ambassador and later opened an underwater gallery.

In 2021, Politiken featured her on the front page as one of “those at the forefront” of environmental action. She has contributed to Danish and Swedish projects focused on ghost nets, marine debris, and eelgrass restoration, with images reaching audiences worldwide.

At Øresund Patrol, Helene is the Program Director of Ocean Literacy. We’re proud to have a true force of nature like Helene on the team. She is deeply connected and brings a strong understanding of Øresund’s fragile coastal ecosystems. Her work with Øresund Patrol builds on years of personal dedication and conservation efforts, helping connect people across the Sound. As the saying goes — the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

😅 Fun fact: Helene holds a black belt in karate

📍 Favourite place in/around Øresund: Køge Bugt Stenrev

🐟 Favourite animal: Stenbidder – sjurygg – lumpfish (Cyclopterus lumpus)

26/05/2026

Dette er Øresund 🇩🇰🇸🇪 Detta är Öresund

Øresund starts right here. And when you find yourself in places like these, at the shoreline, you can remind yourself that you are part of the ocean.

Øresund is our history.
Our breathing space.
Our lifeline.

It’s where the human world softens, where we reconnect — with nature, with each other, with ourselves.

What is Øresund to you? Let us know in the comments 💙

22/05/2026

Vores kontor 🇩🇰 🇸🇪 Vårt kontor

Photographing beneath the surface… is only half the story.

At Øresund Patrol, the ocean may be our office - capturing moments in a world few get to experience - but the work doesn’t stop when we leave the water.

Behind every dive and field trip are hours spent reviewing footage, shaping thousands of images, and turning raw moments into stories. The depths give us access to a hidden world - but it’s through the camera that we can bring that world back to you.

Our mission is to make Øresund accessible to everyone in the region. Not just those who can dive into it - but anyone who wants to understand it, protect it, and feel connected to it.

It takes planning, editing, outreach, and countless conversations - over coffee, across tables, and through online meetings - where ideas are shared and plans take shape, ensuring these stories reach beyond the surface.

Because the true value of what we do isn’t just what we discover - it’s what we’re able to share.

18/05/2026

Möt teamet 🇸🇪🇩🇰 Mød holdet – Lukasz Larsson Warzecha:

“Öresund is often described as the body of water that divides Sweden and Denmark. I believe it’s time we start seeing it differently. Öresund is what connects us. The Sound holds us together. Not a border. A bond. That is why Öresund Patrol exists.”

This is how Lukasz opens a letter he wrote on behalf of Öresund:
https://www.oresundpatrol.org/news-the-sound-on-our-doorstep

After moving to the shores of the Öresund, he began to truly understand the richness of this region — and the many untold stories hidden beneath its surface. By bringing these stories to life, he believes we can strengthen public understanding of the ocean’s vital role in all our lives.

Lukasz is a co-founder of Öresund Patrol, a National Geographic contributor, and an award-winning documentary photographer, cinematographer, and TEDx speaker. In his work, he connects the science-curious with the science-serious — bridging the gap between research and the public. His storytelling, often focused on environmental challenges, has been featured in National Geographic, Science Magazine, The New York Times, The Guardian, and more.

At Öresund Patrol, we are proud to have Lukasz on the team. Because Öresund deserves the very best — especially when it comes to bringing the stories beneath its surface to life for the people who live around it.

😅 Fun fact: With two unfinished university degrees, I’m probably the world’s most unlikely science communicator.

📍 Favourite place in/around Öresund: Kullaberg

🐟 Favourite animal: Större Kantnål - stor tangnål - greater pipefish (Syngnathus acus).

Ö/Øresund Patrol

15/06/2026

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08/06/2026

05/06/2026

03/06/2026

01/06/2026

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18/05/2026

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