Charlotte Herman A race for space in the Belgian marine waters Marine Spatial Planning in Belgium

SPF SANTE PUBLIQUE, SECURITE DE LA CHAINE ALIMENTAIRE ET ENVIRONNEMENT

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A race for space in the Belgian marine watersMarine Spatial Planning in Belgium

International Marine Spatial Planning Symposium: Sharing Practical Solutions/11ht Annual Ronald C. Baird Sea Grant Science Symposium”

16 May 2012, Providence

Charlotte Herman, Belgium, Directorate-General for [email protected]


2 Belgian part of the North Sea


3 Activities in the BPNS


4 Fisheries


5 Offshore Wind Energy Zone


6 Wind farms and export cables


7 Installed windturbines


8Special Area of Conservation (Habitat Dir)

Special Protection Areas (Birds Dir.)


9 Aquaculture zones (mussel)


10 Dredge disposal sites


11 Aggregate extraction zone


12 Anchorage area


13 Radar and measuring pillars


14 Navigation routes


15 Military zone


16 Gas pipelines


17 Telecom cables


18 A sea of chaos

Map Mare Liberum. Superimposed projection of all users of the BPNS (GAUFRE report “Towards a Spatial Structure Plan for Sustainable Management of the Sea”)


MSP issues Claims for space anno 2012

• No claims have signifcantly been reduced;

• Some existing claims have increased in surface;- nature conservation (new MPA’s in EEZ), - maritime transport (short sea shipping),…

• Other claims are likely to increase in the near future:- wind energy;- coastal defense –rise of sea level;- sea ports – expansion; …

• New claims are being considered:- new aquaculture technologies (extraction of seashells?);- renewable offshore energy (tidal energy?)- increase of shipping activities (logistic offshore platform?)


MSP drivers

• Users of the sea demand for MSP as an integrated MSP will lead to solve uncertainties and will attract investors (certainty, planning for the future)

• MSP will contribute to the success of other policy competencies; e.g. MSP will serve as a tool for the achievement of a Good Environmental Status by 2020 (as required by the European Union)

• European and international tendency to promote MSP


21 Marine Spatial Planning in 2012Caution: the legal basis is still under negotiation, so things might undergo

changes

Legal basis underway:

• Law Marine Environment (1999), as amended • Royal decree establishing the procedure for the adoption of the Marine Spatial

Plan • Royal decree establising the Marine Spatial Plan

Initiator / Coordinator:

• Ministerial level – (federal) minister of the North Sea (Mr. J.Vande Lanotte)• Administration level – (federal) Directorate – General Environment


Marine Spatial Planning in 2012

Procedure

Pre-draft Plan Advisory Commission

Draft Plan Socio-economic public consultation* SEA (including public consultation)*

Marine Spatial Plan implemented by Royal Decree

* Formal transboundary consultation


23 Marine Spatial Planning in 2012

Advisory Commission - Federal and regional (Flemish Region) representatives from public services- 30 days

Public consultation - Including a public hearing/ stakeholders meeting- Formal contact with some other governments / institutions- 60 days

Socio-economic - No formal procedure, to be «agreed» between Statestransboundary - 60 daysconsultation

SEA transboundary - the « affected State » to decide whether the State wants to take consultation part in the consultation

- 60 days


24 Marine Spatial Planning in a later stage

Renewal procedure

- Renewal every 6 years- Intermittent renewal procedure


25 Marine Spatial Planning in 2012MSP = instrument, tool

Plan Content1. Spatial analysis of Belgian part of the North Sea

- Introduction- Physical aspects- Nature value- Existing user functions- Existing spatial structure- Spatial alliances and conflicts

2. Long term vision on spatial use

3. Clear economic, social and ecological objectives

4. Measures, funding, instruments and actions to implement the Marine Spatial Plan


Challenges

Multi – level governmentEuropean Union: policy targets (e.g., CFP, MSFD, IMP,…)

Federal State: general competency for North Sea Policy federal public services Internal Affairs, Mobility, Defence, Environment,…

Flemish Region: specific competencies fishing, dredging, sea ports, coastal defence, salvage and towage operations,…

Local authorities: coastal municipalities (e.g., beach)/province (e.g., disaster plan)


Opportunities and key factors for success Balance - between existing use of space / future use of space

Multiple use of space

Long term vision and objectives MSP – future perspective, no ad hoc approach

Transparency – intelligent use of bilateral consultation, well – informed decision,…

Stakeholder participation

Coherence between land and sea

Coordination within the Belgian state structure – respect competencies (federal, regional, local, international..)

Cross-border cooperation and consultation – potential “common” MSP, sea basin approach,...


Thank you!

Business

Charlotte Herman A race for space in the Belgian marine waters Marine Spatial Planning in Belgium