Paper long abstract:

I would like to explore the meaning of Baltic Sea in collective consciousness of Poland. The situation is ambivalent because of the long and recurring history of having an access to the sea and loss of it. The fact that loss of seacoast came together with loss of power and sovereignty of the national state, could implicate that sea would become an important national value, but it rather seems that Polish people still have problems with full internalization of the symbolic and practical aspects of marital status of their state.

Historical-symbolic analysis will be elaborated by looking at a current conflict about fishery and changing meanings of consumption and recreation connected with seashore in Poland.