Embedding Maritime Spatial Planning in National Legal Frameworks

Abstract

Maritime spatial planning (MSP) is increasingly being introduced as a tool to improve decision-making for those maritime areas where competing human activities occur and to manage the effects on the marine environment. According to the European Commission's Roadmap for Maritime Spatial Planning: Achieving Common Principles in the EU of November 2008, for MSP to be effective, it should be established by setting up a legally binding framework. Recently, several European Union (EU) Member States have developed systems to establish a firm national legal basis to engage in MSP in all maritime waters within their national jurisdiction. However, their starting points are different; whereas, the Netherlands and Germany extended their existing territorial spatial planning framework seaward, the UK developed an entire new planning system specific for its maritime waters. This article aims to explore how the EU Member States mentioned above have embedded their maritime spatial planning activities in their national legal system and to what extent they are bound by global and EU-legislation when engaging in MSP. Special attention is paid to issues of cross-sectoral coordination and cross-border consultation with neighbouring States.

Assembling a Blue Economy moment? Geographic engagement with globalizing biological-economic relations in multi-use marine environments

“…The EU aimed to develop MSP as an ecosystem-based planning approach for coastal, sea and ocean management (Ehler and Douvere, 2009). Subsequently, interdisciplinary scientific interest has waxed (Douvere and Ehler, 2001, 2009; Douvere et al, 2007; Drankier, 2012; Flannery and Cinnéide, 2008; Jay, 2012; Schaefer and Barale, 2011; Smith et al, 2012; cf. Massey and Rees, 2004).…”

Towards Marine Spatial Planning in Southern Taiwan

“…The development of appropriate administrative and legislative mechanisms is required to allow the implementation of a zoning scheme, within a priori MSP system which requires a more proactive policy-led approach [18,31]. According to the draft of National Territorial Planning Act Regulations, MOI is in charge of Taiwan MSP and the administrative functions, and sea areas shall be included in territorial planning via the regional plan.…”

Marine Spatial Planning: Exploring the Role of Planning Practice and Research

“…Most ocean resources are held in the public trust (Nigent and Cantral 2006, Smith and Wilen 2002). Ocean policy involves state, federal, and international laws, and indigenous and military areas, making ocean governance more fragmented than land-use law (Drankier 2012; Maes 2008; Nursery-Bray and Jacobson 2014). In the United States, in addition to fragmentation of institutional structures and policies, a lack of enabling legislation for MSP and implementation can hinder marine protection efforts (Fox et al 2013; Kirlin et al 2013; Saarman et al 2013).…”