The European Atlas of the Seas is a web-based information system aimed at the general public, but it is also capable of supporting selected nonspecialist professionals in addressing environmental issues, human activities, and policies related to the coast and sea. It includes a collection of maps and associated fact sheets based on data originating primarily from the European Commission and its agencies, which present a snapshot of key natural and socio-economic elements of the coastal and marine regions of the European Union. It provides a suite of basic instruments for map analysis and data combination to derive ad hoc maritime indicators.

The European Atlas of the Seas offers a snapshot of environmental and socio-economic features that characterize the coastal and marine environment. The latest release (Version 4) addresses the public in general, but also nonspecialist experts involved with environmental issues, human activities or policies related to Europe's coasts and seas. The information content of the Atlas comprises a series of geographical layers, subdivided in Bbackground maps^, Bthematic maps^(i.e. maritime Europe, natural setting, sea bottom, sea level rise, security, transport, tourism, energy, wind, fisheries and fish consumption) and Bdo-it-yourself maps^(dealing with marine knowledge, nature and environ-