Introduction to Maritime Spatial Planning and BaltSeaPlan, Dr. Nico Nolte, BSH

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Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP)

The sea - anopen space?

Or an intensively used area?

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Traditional sea-uses

Traditional uses, activities and functions

• shipping• fisheries• oil and gas industry• sand and gravel extraction• pipelines• power & telecommunication cables• military training• scientific research• nature protection sites

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New trends in sea-uses

Approach of new uses• offshore wind farms• production of hydrogen• storage of CO 2

Other important factors influencing the marine environment

• climate change• illegal fisheries• invasion of alien species• eutrophication

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Why MSP?

• Because of increasing use demands and potential conflicts between different uses and/or with marine nature conservation there is a need for integrated, comprehensive sustainable management of human activities

• Maritime Spatial Planning is a supporting tool

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Policy developments

– EU Blue Paper (October 2007): proposing Integrated Maritime Policy, key instrument MSP

– EU Roadmap for MSP (November 2008): Achieving Common Principles in the EU

– EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region (June 2009): horizontal action: “Encourage the use of MSP in all Member States around the Baltic Sea and develop a common approach for cross-border co-operation”

– HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan (November 2007): recommendation 28E/9 on Development of Broad-Scale MSP Principles

– VASAB: preparation of Long Term Perspective for the spatial development of the Baltic Sea Region

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Benefits of MSP

in short:

• forward looking • long-term planning gives

security to stakeholders• cross-sectoral, not

fragmented• co-ordination of uses,

thus minimising conflicts

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However…

•Little experience in the BSR with MSP

•National as well as trans-national co-operation is very important

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Information Needs

Do we really know the planning area?

– lack of knowledge concerning some potentially important scientific parameters

– existing and approved uses, example: where are the shipping routes?

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Challenge AND ChanceMSP - transnationally wanted, however

– Nationally only few Baltic Sea Region countries introduced regulations on maritime spatial planning yet

– National maritime strategies - existing?

This is a chance – to create a joint understanding – to learn together from pilot initiatives– to base new approaches on transnational, coherent principles

Can BaltSeaPlan create enough impetus?– Make use of BaltSeaPlan! - Not only a matter of direct project

partners, but all potential MSP stakeholders...

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The MSP Cycle(Source: PlanCoast Handbook on IMSP www.planocoast.eu)

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BaltSeaPlan Objective

Develop, introduce and implementMaritime Spatial Planningthroughout the BSR in a coherent matter.

In short:BaltSeaPlan will support BSR countries to turn this MSP cycle into reality !

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Facts & figures

Project preparation started as early as 2005 !

Approved on 24 October 2008 within 1st call of the Baltic Sea Region Programme (former INTERREG)

• project duration 2009 - 2012• budget: 3.7 m Euro• originally 18 partners• 4 Russian partners had to drop-out

due to unavailability of ENPI funds

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PartnersGermany:• Lead Partner: Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency / BSH• World Wildlife Fund Germany, Baltic Sea Unit / WWF• Ministry of Transport, Building and Regional Development

of Mecklenburg-VorpommernPoland:• Maritime Office in Szczecin• Maritime Office in Gdynia • Maritime Institute in GdanskDenmark:• National Environmental Research Institute / NERISweden:• Royal Institute of Technology / KTH• Swedish Environmental Protection Agency / SEPA Estonia:• Baltic Environmental Forum / BEF Estonia• Estonian Marine Institute of University of TartuLithuania:• Coastal Research and Planning Institute / CORPI• Baltic Environmental Forum / BEF LithuaniaLatvia:• Baltic Environmenatal Forum / BEF Latvia

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What will BaltSeaPlan do?

Stocktaking: • compilation of current sea uses• identification of data gaps• Generation of new GIS datasets

Data exchange and harmonisation according to the EU INSPIRE directive

Direct involvement of stakeholders

8 local and cross-border pilot Maritime Spatial Plans

Frameworks and methodologies for Maritime Spatial Planning and Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) on the sea

Assessment of national priorities for offshort development =>Proposals for National Maritime Strategies according to EU Blue Book

Common spatial vision for the Baltic Sea under consideration of transnational interdependencies and cumulative impacts

Policy recommendations for Maritime Spatial Planning

Pilot Projects:

Pomeranian Bight DE/PL/SE

Western Gulf of Gdansk PL

Middle Bank PL/SE

Western Baltic T-Route DK

Pärnu Bay EE

Hiiuma & Saaremaa Islands EE

Western Coast of Latvia

Lithuanian Sea

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MSP Pilot Projects

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Thank you for attention!nico.nolte@bsh.de