The social and economic dimensions of maritime

spatial planning

Dublin Institute of Technology, Grangegorman, Dublin, 2nd June 2016.

Dr Conor Norton, DITJerry Barnes, McCabe Durney Barnes

Recommendations for preparing Maritime Spatial

Plans in Ireland.

The social and economic dimensions of Maritime Spatial Planning

Conference, Dublin Institute of Technology, Grangegorman, Dublin, 2nd June 2016.

Content

Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP) and its essential context.

The EPA Research project:

Recommendations for Preparing Maritime Spatial Plans in Ireland

Firstly:Maritime Spatial Planning (Marine Spatial Planning)

“… cross-cutting tool enabling public authorities and stakeholders to apply a coordinated, integrated and transboundary approach. The application of an ecosystem-based approach will contribute to promoting the sustainable development and growth of the maritime and coastal economies and the sustainable use of marine and coastal resources.”

Maritime Spatial Planning Directive (EC, 2014)

World’s first legal requirement for a ‘planning-at-sea’ system.

‘Marine’ and ‘maritime’ are interchangeabe in the nomencalture!

Why is MSP necessary?Greater and greater competition for

marine resources.

Conflicts in between users and activities or uses.

Policy objective to intensify economic activities in the marine area (Blue Growth).

Concern for the protection of the essential ecosystem services.

Limited success in managing these issues and finding compatibilities between sectors/stakeholders (for many reasons).

(Image courtesy European Commission

Regulatory basis for MSPPolicyPolicy at European level includes Integrated Maritime

Policy (EC, 2007), Roadmap for Maritime Spatial Planning: Achieving Common Principles in the

EU (EC, 2008), Europe 2020 (EC, 2012) and Blue Growth (2012) and other sectoral policies.

Irish policyHarnessing Our Ocean Wealth (HOOW) (2012), high

level policy across different sectors. Non-spatial in nature, but includes developing MSP as a key recommendation and enabler for integrated marine policy.

(Inter-departmental Marine Coordination Group)

Enablers Task Force on MSP (2015)Broad ranging report on implementing the Directive.Recommends: (1) A plan-led, cross-sectoral, spatial policy framework

which will guide both applicants and consent authorities in relation to specified marine licenses and consents; and

(2) An overarching and integrated national spatial marine plan with which marine sectoral plans and coastal landuse development plans can be aligned.

Recommends a Forward Planning System for MSP. Sets out social, economic and environmental goals and

a series objectives for MSP in Ireland. Suggests national marine spatial plan should apply to

Ireland’s internal waters (sea area), territorial seas, EEZ and Continental Shelf.

LegislationInternational rules and conventions - notably United

Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), 1982.

Other European Directives such as Marine Strategy Framework Directive, Habitats and Birds Directives etc.

The Maritime Spatial Planning Directive provides a common framework for MSP in Europe. Adopted July 2014 (into force in September 2014), transposed into Irish Law on 18th September 2016 (by regulation) and to be implemented in full by 2021.

Key features of the Directive: • Promotion of sustainable development, utilisation and

management of maritime space for different sea uses in marine areas;

• Adoption of an ecosystem-based approach through adaptive management;

• Facilitation of a trans-boundary approach by member states and stakeholders;

• Public and stakeholder consultation;• Definition of the geographical scope for MSP;• Transposition and implementation having regard to existing

national, regional and local rules and mechanisms;• Application by the member states of the precautionary principle

and the principle of preventative action; and• Consideration of land-sea interactions.

Irish legislationCurrently not integrated around planning or consenting.Foreshore Act, 1933, as amended.

General Scheme for Maritime Area and Foreshore Amendment Bill was published in 2013 (DECLG, 2013).

Draft European Union (Framework for Maritime Spatial Planning) Regulations, 2016 (Consultation stage, DECLG).

• Maritime Area (Foreshore, EEZ and Continental Shelf);

• Competent Authority, Minister ECLG and can designate other bodies;

• Single plan or plans for constituent parts of maritime area;

• Distribution of uses and activities. 10 year limit for review;

• Objectives of MSP as per Directive; and

• Public participation and data sharing, compliance and data sharing and international cooperation.

Issues around plan-making for MSP in IrelandApart from issues around governance and

transposition there will be key challenges for plan-making in Ireland including:

• Evidence and quality and extent of evidence/data;

• Plan hierarchy, extent and roles;• Interaction of the land and marine planning

systems; and• Land-sea interactions – coastal policies/ICZM.

Recommendations for Maritime Spatial Plans for Ireland.

The report emerged from the EPA funded research on an Integrated Framework for Maritime Spatial Planning in Ireland. Carried out by DIT in partnership with McCabe Durney Barnes and Dr Wesley Flannery (QUB).

Commenced in January 2015, and included broad stakeholder consultation, review of current policy and international best practice.

Recommendations for making Maritime Spatial Plans in Ireland are made in the context of current policy, guidance and legislation.

Staged process

Four key stages.

Integration with SEA/AA and consultation and participation processes.

Important feedback loops.

Stage 1 Understanding the marine environment

Case study: Shetlands Islands Marine Spatial Plan

Extensive datasets.

Extensive range of activities scoped.

Location of planning constraints.

Consideration of cumulative effects.

Stage 2: Vision, objectives and preferred strategy

Case study: Marine Spatial Plan for the Belgian Part of the North Sea (2014)

Consideration of alternatives based on:• Social, economic and

environmental policy targets;

• On more stringent control of marine area; and

• Measured against a ‘zero’ alternative.

Stage 3 Drafting the plan

Scotland’s National Marine Plan

Broad vision and strategic objectivesfor 11 key sectors.

Detailed objectives setting.

Considers onshore and inshore relationships.

Dutch Maritime Spatial Planning Policy

Careful control of marine area.

Ecological constraints and ecosystems based approach.

Marine Protected Areas.Coastal defences

Free horizon to 12nm.

Stage 4 Amendment, Adoption, Implementation, Monitoring and Review

Conclusions• Maritime Spatial Planning is a reality in Ireland;• It presents very significant challenges for authorities

and for planners;• Much work will need to be done in advance of 2021 to

fully flesh out how the system will operate for Ireland’s maritime area;

• A number of discipline areas, including planning, will need to embrace MSP as part of their larger discipline areas;

• MSP can learn much from terrestrial planning in terms of processes, procedures and methods and techniques and

• Coordination of terrestrial and maritime spatial planning will be essential.

Further project information and copies of the presentations go to:

http://www.dit.ie/sustainability/research/planning/integratedpolicyframework/