The geochemical composition of surface sediments and pore waters from the Fehmarn Belt area, southern Baltic Sea, was analyzed in the context of the establishment of exclusion areas for bottom trawling activity. Samples were taken on cruise EMB238 in May/June 2020 using a multicorer device. Besides on-site measuremements, further dissolved major and trace elements, dissolved inorganic carbon, nutrients were anlyzed in home laboratory. Results are complemented by the analysis of potential microbial gross sulfate reduction rates and the geochemical composition of CNS and extractable sulfur (AVS, CrS(II), and acid-extractable Fe, Zn, Pb, Fe, Mn contents.