Welcome to this virtual workspace for Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) in the Mediterranean – a workspace in which the region’s planners and others can access information and tools, and share knowledge, news and insight on the vital tool that is MSP.
How to use the planning tools
Welcome to this virtual workspace for Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) in the Mediterranean – a workspace in which the region’s planners and others can access information and tools, and share knowledge, news and insight on the vital tool that is MSP.
How to use the planning tools
We can better protect marine ecosystems by strategically allocating the use of marine areas and working together to reduce conflict and improve planning at every level of governance.
Responsibility for effective planning cuts across the highest-levels from ministries to sub-national and local authorities. Many economic sectors, citizens and scientists have an important role to play in setting a clear course for all marine activity.
The preparation and implementation of a marine spatial plan is summarised in the simple governance process below and can be easily adapted to different national contexts and geographic scales.
Uniquely amongst the World’s Regional Seas, a protocol to the Barcelona Convention – the Protocol on Integrated Coastal Zone Management in the Mediterranean, (ICZM Protocol) adopted in 2008 – enables the planning of the Mediterranean marine areas within the broader scope of coastal planning and management mandating regional, international and transboundary cooperation. This gives the coastal and marine planning in the Mediterranean its very distinctive character.
The MSP Policy Process
Below is a practical guide to preparing and delivering an MSP, incorporating climate actions, ecosystem approach and land-sea interactions.
The MSP policy cycle has seven interrelated stages. Each stage offers useful tips and a list of specific planning tasks to help you successfully deliver your marine spatial plan. Some tasks can be expanded for more detailed explanations, examples, and links to other sources. The stages have been created based on the Conceptual Framework for MSP in the Mediterranean.
Use the hexagons below for specific guidance on each stage of the MSP policy cycle.
Get everything in place from the start
Go to Planning Tools
The MSP Policy Process
Below is a practical guide to preparing and delivering an MSP, incorporating climate actions, ecosystem approach and land-sea interactions.
The MSP policy cycle has seven interrelated stages. Each stage offers useful tips and a list of specific planning tasks to help you successfully deliver your marine spatial plan. Some tasks can be expanded for more detailed explanations, examples, and links to other sources. The stages have been created based on the Conceptual Framework for MSP in the Mediterranean.
See specific guidance for each stage of the MSP policy cycle.
Prepare: Starting the Process and Getting Organised
A solid foundation for your planning process is vital – take the time you need to get off to a flying start.
Build relationships with partners from within and beyond your organisation, with stakeholders and individuals who can help and support the plan making process. No plan – making process will without the right people in place.
Never underestimate the technical and human challenges involved in developing a marine spatial plan; whether that includes the special technology and skills required for information technology in the marine space, the unfamiliar marine “languages” of those involved, and the special challenges of gathering data, information and knowledge. Marine users often form very closed communities with long-established and informal governance structures – all of them need to be fully involved. Respect their traditional territories and responsibilities.
Remember groups in the community that have been traditionally excluded from decision-making in the marine environment, for example the disabled, the poor and, in many cases, women and create pathways to bring them into the process.
Communication skills are as important as technical ones – enabling partners and stakeholders to clearly visualise problems, potential futures, solutions, and to facilitate their inclusion. Communications should not be over-technical and be easy to access and understand. Keep it simple.
For thematic guidance visit the Core Themes to read about:
Governance and MSP
Ecosystem Approach
Climate Action
Land-Sea Interactions
Agree the Destination: Assessing the Context and Defining a Vision
Use wide discussions from across society to refine the themes that the plan will focus on. Clearly articulate the strategic vision for the future of the marine area using the ecosystem approach.
The Scoping Document sets out a roadmap and tools required to achieve an agreed strategic vision and high-level objectives for the plan area.
Context is everything. No plan for the marine environment can be written in isolation from the plethora of global and Mediterranean-wide agreements and conventions, national policies and programmes, and of course, existing sub-regional and local plans and policies. An MSP in the Mediterranean must be developed within the overarching ecosystem approach, taking into account the challenges of climate change and the interactions between the land and the sea.
For thematic guidance visit the Core Themes to read about:
Governance and MSP
Ecosystem Approach
Climate Action
Land-Sea Interactions
Map the Present: Analysing Existing Conditions
Gather and analyse information, including land-sea interactions, identify conflicts, coexistences and compatibilities.
This is the data and information gathering stage. It is all too easy at this stage to become subsumed by the oceans of data relating to the marine environment, resulting in the loss of valuable time and energy. Make the most of your time by working with stakeholders and key partners to gather the right information that fits the purpose of your plan and policies. Go for quality rather than quantity and keep it simple.
The value of indigenous knowledge cannot be understated particularly in the marine environment. Such indigenous knowledge includes the understandings, skills, and even philosophies developed by local communities and users with long histories and experiences of interaction with their marine surroundings.
For thematic guidance visit the Core Themes to read about:
Governance and MSP
Ecosystem Approach
Climate Action
Land-Sea Interactions
Map the Future: Analysing Future Conditions
Capture information on potential future trends and projections, key hot spots, and future scenarios for maritime uses.
At this stage the field of inquiry to the main elements, themes and issues which shape the future of the plan area. Future trends should be identified where possible. The use of future scenarios is strongly advocated; bringing together stakeholders and key social actors to ask “what-if” to help elaborate plausible futures for individual maritime uses, taking into considerations potential areas of conflict, coexistence and compatibility with other uses, along with the cumulative impacts on the environment. This is very much a qualitative stage, relying heavily on the expertise and knowledge of those with a stake in the future of the marine special plan area.
For thematic guidance visit the Core Themes to read about:
Governance and MSP
Ecosystem Approach
Climate Action
Land-Sea Interactions
Set the Parameters: Identifying Key Issues
Agreeing the key issues will bring focus to the design phase and set the direction of travel within clearly defined parameters.
The scope of the plan and its final form will take shape at this stage with the selection of the key issues you’re focusing on.
For thematic guidance visit the Core Themes to read about:
Governance and MSP
Ecosystem Approach
Climate Action
Land-Sea Interactions
Design the Plan: Elaborating the MSP
Define and develop the planning measures, their location in space and time before consultation and publication.
The very particular measures that make up your marine spatial plan will be articulated at this stage. They potentially include not only spatial measures such as zoning, but also measures to manage activities in time. Other measures may include economic incentives and disincentives, along with regulation and enforcement, and in particular public education and awareness.
Future institutional arrangements for the delivery and monitoring of the plan must also be set out at this stage, ensuring the plan becomes a living document and that the key players continue to work together to deliver it.
The plan should also establish the foundations for monitoring and evaluation through the use of monitoring protocols and indicators.
For thematic guidance visit the Core Themes to read about:
Governance and MSP
Ecosystem Approach
Climate Action
Land-Sea Interactions
Get Results: Implementing, Monitoring and Evaluating the Plan
Legitimacy through the political approval of the plan according to national legal requirements can take time and resources. The engagement and support of stakeholders and the community established through the preparation process will pay dividends at this stage.
A wide dissemination of the plan and its vision long after its completion is essential to ensure that it plays a central role in the future sustainable development of the plan area.
For thematic guidance visit the Core Themes to read about:
Governance and MSP
Ecosystem Approach
Climate Action
Land-Sea Interactions
Get everything in place from the start
Go to Planning Tools
Prepare: Starting the Process and Getting Organised
A solid foundation for your planning process is vital - take the time you need to get off to a flying start.
Build relationships with partners from within and beyond your organisation, with stakeholders and individuals who can help and support the plan making process. No plan will succeed without the right people in place.
Never underestimate the technical and human challenges involved in developing a marine spatial plan (MSP); whether that includes the special technology and skills required for information technology in the marine space, the unfamiliar marine “languages” of those involved, and the special challenges of gathering data, information and knowledge. Marine users often form very close communities with long established and informal governance structures – all of them need to be fully involved. Respect their traditional territories and responsibilities.
Remember groups in the community that have been traditionally excluded from decision-making in the marine environment, for example the disabled, the poor and, in many cases, women and create pathways to bring them into the process.
Communication skills are as important as technical ones - enabling partners and stakeholders to clearly visualise problems, potential futures, solutions, and to facilitate their inclusion. Communications should not be over-technical and be easy to access and understand. Keep it simple.
Go through the checklist below to tick off what you need to do next.
A successful planning process can only be achieved when you:
Plan a steering body mandate.
Write constitution set goals.
Agree terms of reference.
Opinion formers and community leaders in social and media bodies. Individuals with skills and expertise in public administrations, universities, and the voluntary and private sector in marine-and related domains. Representative bodies for the disabled and other excluded groups.)
Check partners understand and support the MSP process.
Deliver a stakeholder engagement plan.
When preparing transboundary MSP: effective shared planning process is in place.
Organisations in related domains including environment, energy, tourism, health, defense.)
1. Include marine scientists (in particular marine biologists and ecologists) in the multidisciplinary team developing the plan.
2. Adopt a long-term perspective in the planning process, to properly consider long-term changes in ecosystems.
Include land-sea interactions in the plan design.
5. Include transboundary data exchange to help address ecosystem dynamics extending beyond national borders.
1. What are the MSP-relevant sectors mainly affected by climate change? Possible sectors and sub-sectors could include:
| Sectors | Sub Sectors |
|---|---|
| Fisheries | Industrial Fisheries |
| Small-Scale Fisheries | |
| Aquaculture | Shellfish Farming / Fish Farming |
| Environmental Quality | Water Quality |
| Marine Protected Areas and Conservation of Habitats and Species | Marine Protected Areas and Conservation of Habitats and Species |
| Energy | Oil and Gas Exploitation |
| Offshore Wave Energy | |
| Offshore Wind Energy | |
| Submarine Cables and Pipelines | |
| Maritime Transport | Passenger Transport (Ferry and Cruising) |
| Goods Transport | |
| Port Activities | Ports |
| Marinas | |
| Tourism | Bathing Tourism |
| Marine Sports and Recreational Activities | |
| Leisure Boating | |
| Mining and Dredging | Sand Dredging |
| Mineral Mining | |
| Preservation of Underwater Cultural Heritage (UCH) and Coastal Cultural Heritage (CCH) Sites | UCHs |
| CCHs | |
| Coastal Infrastructures | Coastal Defences |
| Waste Water Treatment Systems | |
| Areas for Military Uses | |
1. Consider the wider terrestrial area impact and the effect on maritime uses and the environment when agreeing boundaries.
Reach out and engage stakeholders from both maritime and coastal sectors, including entities responsible for environmental and cultural heritage protection
3. Ensure capability to manage spatial information through GIS
4. Ensure access to land-based and sea-based multidisciplinary environmental data and knowledge (terrestrial and marine ecosystems, protected habitat and species, pressures and impacts, etc.)
5. Ensure access to multi-sector data and knowledge (terrestrial and maritime activities)
Keep in mind.
Define and keep in mind the scope of LSI analysis in the context of MSP throughout the process.
Differently from what happens in other contexts – e.g. studies, research projects - LSI analysis under MSP is not undertaken per se but it is finalised to the objectives of marine spatial plan preparation.
Get everything in place from the start
Go to Planning Tools
Agree the Destination: Assessing the Context and Defining a Vision
Use wide discussions from across society to refine the themes that the plan will focus on. Clearly articulate the strategic vision for the future of the marine area using the ecosystem approach.
The scoping document sets out a roadmap and tools required to achieve an agreed strategic vision and high-level objectives for the plan area.
Context is everything. No plan for the marine environment can be written in isolation from the plethora of global and Mediterranean-wide agreements and conventions, national policies and programmes, and of course, existing sub-regional and local plans and policies. An MSP in the Mediterranean must be developed within the overarching ecosystem approach, taking into account the challenges of climate change and the interactions between the land and the sea.
Remember groups in the community that have been traditionally excluded from decision-making in the marine environment, for example the disabled, the poor and, in many cases, women and create pathways to bring them into the process.
Below is a list of potential tasks and actions for this stage.
Involve stakeholders and social actors in high-level objective/vision setting process for diversity and gender equity.
Agree and publish report.
2. Ensure coherence between the MSP vision as well as the goals and objectives set at international and national level for the protection of marine and coastal ecosystems and biodiversity, towards good environmental status (GES).
3. Adopt the precautionary principle to exclude risks and hazards of human activities on the marine ecosystem.
1. What are the high-level MSP objectives that can be affected by climate change?
2. Are MSP vision and objectives coherent with long-term objectives of climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies and policies?
Initiate preliminary identification of all known land-sea interactions in the area; reflect on their type as well as their policy, legal and planning aspects. Depending on data and time availability, qualitatively assess the nature of each interaction and prioritise those that are the most relevant for the planning process. Identify areas where interactions are more concentrated. Alternatively, this assessment can be done in the following planning stage.
Cataloging and assessing LSIs can be undertaken with the support of a specially designed tool, aimed at facilitating the process by organising the information according to the main categories of LSIs:
- Natural interactions – from sea to land;
- Natural interactions – from land to sea;
- Anthropogenic interactions – from sea to land;
- Anthropogenic interactions – from land to sea.
The tool would also facilitate stakeholder engagement. Please visit the Land-Sea Interaction and MSP Planning Tool.
2. Ensure key findings on relevant LSIs that can affect the planning area are taken into considerations when defining the vision.
Go to Planning Tools
Map the Present: Analysing Existing Conditions
Gather and analyse information, including land-sea interactions, identify conflicts, coexistences and compatibilities.
This is the data and information gathering stage. It is all too easy at this stage to become subsumed by the oceans of data relating to the marine environment, resulting in the loss of valuable time and energy. Make the most of your time by working with stakeholders and key partners to gather the right information that fits the purpose of your plan and policies. Go for quality rather than quantity and keep it simple.
Context is everything. No plan for the marine environment can be written in isolation from the plethora of global and Mediterranean-wide agreements and conventions, national policies and programmes, and of course, existing sub-regional and local plans and policies. An MSP in the Mediterranean must be developed within the overarching ecosystem approach, taking into account the challenges of climate change and the interactions between the land and the sea.
The value of indigenous knowledgecannot be understated particularly in the marine environment. Such indigenous knowledge includes the understandings, skills, and even philosophies developed by local communities and users with long histories and experiences of interaction with their marine surroundings.
Below is a list of potential tasks and actions for this stage.
Map Marine Protected Areas and Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures.
Analyse impacts of human activities on marine ecosystems.
Analyse interactions (conflicts and synergies) among area-based protection measures (MPAs and Other Effective area-based Conservation Measures) and other maritime uses.
Tools4MSP and MSP Platform EU provide a suite of open source tools to support the implementation of MSP; provides a suite of open source tools to support the implementation of MSP; the MUC tool in particular can be used for the analysis of conflicts among different marine activities. This tool was used in a pilot study for MSP planning in the Emilia Romagna region.
Marxan is another tool that can be used for conservation planning. This tool was also applied in the Emilia Romagna region.
5. Include main external sources of pressure when analysing the impact of human activities on the marine environment.
Identify hot spot areas of impact.
Identification of areas with the highest frequency of pressures and environmental impact was implemented as part of the MSP for Montenegro, prepared within the GEF Adriatic project.
The applied methodology enabled translate data into spatial information IMAP.
These maps by demonstrating pressure and state indicators, and helping calculate value and impact indexes; these were combined to identify the most fragile and valuable marine areas in Montenegro that require urgent action. The results of these assessments were integrated into MSP as a basis for protection, remediation and sustainable use measures.
The results of the state and pressures assessment study are available here.
The MSP for Montenegro, with zoning based on ecosystem approach is available here.
Answer the following questions for your sector / subsector:
1. What are the main climate change impacts affecting the sub-sector?
2. How would you briefly describe each identified impact?
2. Undertake in-depth analysis of the most important LSIs. These should include spatial, temporal and quantitative analysis.
Keep in mind. Stay focussed.
When assessing interactions you’ll identify and assess conflicts (with other economic sectors) and impacts (on environment). When doing this, remember to limit your analysis to the conflicts and impacts determined by the land-sea interaction component of the sector/use you are assessing. You don’t need to extend your analysis to the overall conflicts and impacts of the sea uses; this is part of the other MSP analysis. Avoid overlapping.
Keep in mind. Analyse present and future LSIs.
Remember to identify and analyse foreseen (future) LSIs, based on developments indicated in sector plans and in the marine spatial plan. This information will be particularly important for the following MSP phase.
Part of this analysis can be done using a specially designed guiding tool.
Go to Planning Tools
Map the Future: Analysing Future Conditions
Capture information on potential future trends and projections, key hot spots, and future scenarios for maritime uses.
At this stage the field of inquiry to the main elements, themes and issues which shape the future of the plan area. Future trends should be identified where possible. The use of future scenarios is strongly advocated; bringing together stakeholders and key social actors to ask “what-if” to help elaborate plausible futures for individual maritime uses, taking into considerations potential areas of conflict, coexistence and compatibility with other uses, along with the cumulative impacts on the environment. This is very much a qualitative stage, relying heavily on the expertise and knowledge of those with a stake in the future of the marine special plan area.
Below is a list of potential tasks and actions for this stage.
Analysed in terms of coexistence, compatibility and conflicts with other uses, as well as cumulative impacts on the environment.
The use of scenarios is seen as a valuable tool for stakeholder engagement and discussion between sectors and users. Experiences from scenario development are available here.
Consider major drivers of change for ecosystems: climate change, change in human pressures according to the socio-economic scenarios considered in the marine spatial plan, change in protection measures, etc.
3. Identify hot spot areas in future conditions according to the scenarios developed in the plan.
Answer the following questions for your sector / subsector:
1. What are the main climate change impacts affecting the sub-sector?
2. How would you briefly describe each identified impact?
1. Use the results of previously undertaken LSI analysis to support development of the scenarios.
2. If relevant, update the analysis in case new interactions emerge or disappear, resulting from scenarios considerations.
Go to Planning Tools
Set the Parameters: Identifying Key Issues
Agreeing the key issues will bring focus to the design phase and set the direction of travel within clearly defined parameters.
The scope of the plan and its final form will take shape at this stage with the selection of the key issues you’re focusing on.
Below is a list of potential tasks and actions for this stage.
Ensure that the key issues selected for developing your MSP take into consideration key impacts caused by climate change.
Go to Planning Tools
Design the Plan: Elaborating the MSP
Define and develop the planning measures, their location in space and time before consultation and publication.
The very particular measures that make up your marine spatial plan will be articulated at this stage. They potentially include not only spatial measures such as zoning, but also measures to manage activities in time. Other measures may include economic incentives and disincentives, along with regulation and enforcement, and in particular public education and awareness.
Future institutional arrangements for the delivery and monitoring of the plan must also be set out at this stage, ensuring the plan becomes a living document and that the key players continue to work together to deliver it.
The plan should also establish the foundations for monitoring and evaluation through the use of monitoring protocols and indicators.
Below is a list of potential tasks and actions for this stage.
Subject to national legislation for MSP, measures can be spatial and temporal, such as shipping routes, safety zones, sensitive environmental and cultural areas; economic incentives, penalties or fees; regulation and enforcement, including limits on inputs to the marine environment, catch and extraction limits etc., technical assistance, public education and awareness.
2. Include balanced objectives of nature conservation, economic development and social well-being. Planning objectives and corresponding measures should address achieving or maintaing GES.
3. Together with administrative boundaires, whenever possible consider natural (ecosystem) boundaries in the definition of marine planning units.
Gather best available scientific information about ecosystems and their dynamics, and assess information gaps and information uncertainties
Establish spatial allocation of human activities at sea taking into proper consideration existing (and in process of being designated) Marine Protected Areas and Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures and their connectivity
Answer the following questions for your sector / subsector:
1. What are the adaptation and mitigation objectives of the sector which can be implemented through the MSP plan?
2. What are the adaptation measures for each specific climate change impact that can be promoted through the MSP plan?
Go to Planning Tools
Get Results: Implementing, Monitoring and Evaluating the Plan
Get formal approval, disseminate the plan, implement, monitor, evaluate.
Legitimacy through the political approval of the plan according to national legal requirements can take time and resources. The engagement and support of stakeholders and the community established through the preparation process will pay dividends at this stage.
A wide dissemination of the plan and its vision long after its completion is essential to ensure that it plays a central role in the future sustainable development of the plan area.
Below is a list of potential tasks and actions for this stage.
Select indicators for ecological and environmental state of the marine areas, to assess the effect of the plan on the environmental characteristics, towards GES
3. Regularly assess and update the plan, according to the results of the monitoring programmes, also taking ecological and environmental issues into consideration.
4. Regularly assess and update the plan to include new policies or strategies setting more stringent international conservation objectives.
Answer the following questions for your sector / subsector:
1. What are the mitigation co-benefits and trade-off of the identified measures?
2. Besides improved adaptation and contribution to mitigation, are there other co-benefits of the identified adaptation measures (e.g. for other sectors or in terms of biodiversity conservation, social equity, preservation of UCH sites, etc.)?
