The invention relates to a method for spatially filtering sound waves 2 which propagate in water and are emitted by at least one source. For this purpose, these sound waves 2 are received by a receiving arrangement 6 having a multiplicity of electroacoustic transducers 8 and corresponding reception signals 20 are formed. The reception signals 20 are used to generate a spatial energy spectrum from which significant levels p(i) are selected for each control direction i to be considered. A signal model matrix
R
M is determined from an antenna response a(
k ) associated with the receiving arrangement 6 and from the selected levels p. A source control vector
a
Source
(k) which optimally suppresses all significant sources is then determined from this signal model matrix
R
M and from the antenna response a(
k ). A check is also carried out in order to determine whether there is a source in the control direction (i) to be considered
. If this is the case, a filter control vector
a
Filter
(k) is determined from the signal model matrix R
M and from the antenna response a(
k ) for this control direction i. However, if no source is determined in the control direction i to be considered, the filter control vector
a
Filter
(k) corresponds to the source control vector
a
Source
(k) , as a result of which the secondary levels are optimally suppressed. The filter control vector determined in this manner can be used to spatially filter the sound waves 2 emitted by a source. The invention also relates to a corresponding apparatus for carrying out the method.