Marine Spatial Planning
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- Published on Friday, 16 December 2011 16:48
- Written by Super User
The days when the sea was considered inexhaustible and could be fished continuously without a management plan are over. The actions of human beings have had a devastating effect on coastal and marine resources and their natural equilibrium.
The threat of a world without fish is now a reality that should concern governments, fishers, entrepreneurs, decision makers, tourists and other sea users.
Eighty percent of fish populations for which there is information are being fully exploited or over-exploited and they have been severely reduced.
Toward responsible fisheries
Among the many factors that affect the health of marine ecosystems, none have as much impact as fishing.
Humans have been catching fish for thousands of years, but in the last fifty, technology has allowed us to fish farther, deeper and more efficiently.
Overfishing, illegal industry, unreported and unregulated fishing, habitat damage and bycatch (the capture of non-target species) are some of the most pressing issues.
In this context, it is necessary to implement comprehensive measures to regulate the extraction of fishery resources and create viable alternatives for coastal communities.
Need for Marine Spatial Planning
There are several definitions for this concept. However, the one used by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) defines it as:
“A public process to analyze and assign a spatial and temporal distribution of human activities in marine areas marinas, in order to achieve ecological, economic and social objectives that have been specified through a political process.”
It requires an integrated approach to address the activities conducted in the sea, such as fishing, mining, pollution, non-planned development of infrastructure and navigation.
The answer lies in adequate spatial and temporal planning of human activities in the sea in a way that considers the prosperity of the communities and marine industries, while ensuring the conservation of marine ecosystems.
Focusing on the conservation and sustainable use of marine and coastal resources, goods and services, the MarViva Foundation works in strategic areas of the Eastern Tropical Pacific where uses of the sea are being managed.
After more than eight years of tireless research and field work, we have identified the need to manage human activities in the sea.
Marine Spatial Planning has the following characteristics:
- Political, as it is based on a mandate from the Government.
- Public, being built, maintained and evaluated in a participatory manner.
- Interdisciplinary, requiring collaboration and teamwork.
- Integrated, including the interrelationships between the activities of the region, administrative powers and existing regulations.
- Decisive, involving making decisions on the spatial and temporal arrangement of human activities throughout the water column.
- Localized, because it focuses on a defined geographic area that is large enough to encompass relevant ecosystem processes.
- Adaptive and dynamic, since it must undergo constant evaluation for ongoing improvement.
