Marine Spatial Planning in theory and practice

Andrew A. Rosenberg, Ph.D.Conservation International

AndUniversity of New Hampshire

What We Found• Oceans and coasts are major contributors to the

U.S. economy

• Ocean and coastal resources and ecosystems are in trouble

• The existing management structure is incompatible with the complexity of ecosystems

Existing Uses

Changing Uses

Resolving mismatches in U.S. ocean governance Science 313: 617-618 (2006)

Governance Constraints to Implementing EBM

Coastal Marine Spatial Planning is a comprehensive, adaptive, integrated, ecosystem-based, and transparent spatial planning process, based on sound science, for analyzing current and anticipated uses of ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes areas. CMSP identifies areas most suitable for various types or classes of activities in order to reduce conflicts among uses, reduce environmental impacts, facilitate compatible uses, and preserve critical ecosystem services to meet economic, environmental, security, and social objectives. In practical terms, CMSP provides a public policy process for society to better determine how the ocean, coasts, and Great Lakes are sustainably used and protected now and for future generations.

Key FeaturesRe-engineering Federal agency processes to

be forward looking rather than reactiveProviding a framework for state-federal

collaborative planning for coastal watersOpportunities for a broader range of

stakeholders to engage in planningStreamlining and greater predictability of

planning and permittingAbility to address cumulative impacts