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Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) |
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Introduction
EU Recommendations
Principles of ICZM
ICZM in the UK
ICZM in the Solent
Wider initiatives for ICZM
The Marine Bill
Marine Spatial Planning
Towards Marine Spatial Planning in the Solent
There are a number of definitions and of ICZM:
"The ICZM process starts with the awareness of issues of common concern, which facilitates a dialogue and exchange of views among interested and affected parties which in turn supports cooperation amongst the parties, and this is the basis for coordination of action which – in time – fosters integration of management(European Commission)
"a process that brings together all those involved in the development, management and use of the coast within a framework that facilitates the integration of their interests and responsibilities. The objective is to establish sustainable levels of economic and social activity in our coastal areas while protecting the coastal environment. ICZM is central to the ecosystem-based approach." (UK Government)
In general ICZM is often used to describe the way in which the diverse activities and interests in the coastal and marine environment are co-ordinated, managed and delivered. It is a process which seeks to 'join up' the different policies that have an effect on the coast whilst bringing together stakeholders to inform, support, and implement these policies.
It is recognised by the European Commission and the UK government as the best approach to the sustainable development of coastal zones.
From 1996 to 1999 the European Commission operated a Demonstration Programme
on ICZM designed around 35 demonstration projects and 6 thematic studies. This
programme aimed to: provide technical information about sustainable coastal
zone management; and stimulate a broad debate among the various actors involved
in the planning, management or use of European coastal zones.
It was intended to lead to a consensus regarding the measures necessary in
order to stimulate ICZM in Europe.
In 2000, based on the experiences and outputs of the Demonstration Programme, the Commission adopted two documents:
The EU Recommendation on ICZM was adopted by Council and Parliament on 30 May 2002. It calls on Member States to set up national strategies for ICZM, which are to involve all coastal stakeholders by March 2006.
The Recommendation outlined 8 key principles for ICZM, which had been identified through the demonstration programme:
The first stage of the implementation of the EU Recommendations in the UK was a national Stocktake. In 2003 Defra and the devolved administrations joined together to commission the stocktaking for the UK. This was carried out by Atkins and the report was published in April 2004.
The main findings of the stocktake were:
Defra is currently considering how to take this forward through the production of a national strategy. The Strategy will also consider the outcomes of the related reviews which have been carried out in the last few years. The national strategy will consider:
At the local level, a number of coastal forums, groups and partnerships have developed to both resolve specific issues of concern and to bring together the variety of stakeholders in the coastal zone to promote a sustainable approach to the planning, management and use of the area. The exact remits of the groups vary but almost all initiatives possess a common purpose of promoting a more integrated approach to local coastal management by: facilitating cooperation and resolving conflicts; raising awareness and understanding; and collecting and distributing information.
The Solent is home to over one million people and is intensively used for both recreation and commerce. It is also highly designated with the majority of the coastline being internationally recognised as being important for nature conservation. Over time these sectoral interests have developed plans and strategies for the management of the coast. There are now over 100 management plans which cover all or part of the Solent and address issues such as nature conservation, coastal defence, water management and emergency planning.
THE SOLENT FORUM
The Solent Forum was established in December 1992 in order to develop a greater understanding among the authorities and agencies involved in planning and management in the Solent area, and to assist and influence them in carrying out their functions. The Forum currently has over 60 members organisations representing local authorities, harbour authorities, government agencies and a number of interest groups and trade associations. For a full list visit out members directory.
Further information on the Forum and the Solent itself is available from our web pages by following the links below:
MARINE
STEWARDSHIP REPORT
In May 2002 the Government produced the first Marine Stewardship Report
'Safeguarding Our Seas A Strategy for the Conservation and Sustainable
Development of our Marine Environment.' It sets out the Government
vision for the marine environment - clean, healthy, safe, productive and
biologically diverse oceans and seas and is underpinned by the principles of:
These are similar to those put forward in the EU Recommendation on ICZM. It also outlines how the government are adopting an ecosystem-based approach to marine management to better integrate marine protection objectives with sustainable social and economic goals.
In 2005 'Charting progress: an integrated assessment of the state of UK seas' was produced. The report illustrates the extent to which the seas round the UK continental shelf meet the vision outlined in the Safeguarding our Seas report. The report is a step towards adopting an ecosystem approach to managing the impact of human activities on the marine environment. It brings together the results of the marine monitoring programmes in order to provide the best assessment that can currently make of the waters around the shores of the UK.
Charting Progress has highlighted a number of gaps both in the knowledge and understanding of the seas and in arrangements for gathering and co-ordinating information. The report will directly assist with the development and evaluation of policy and in particular forms a sound basis for taking forward the ecosystem-based approach to the management of our seas.
REVIEW OF
MARINE NATURE CONSERVATION AND THE IRISH SEA PILOT
The Review of Marine Nature Conservation (RMNC) was established in 1999 to
examine how effectively the system for protecting nature conservation in the
marine environment was working, and to develop practical and proportionate
proposals for improving it within the marine area.
In July 2004 the RMNC published its report to Government detailing its investigation and recommendations for improving protection for marine habitats and species in the UK maritime area. The main recommendations include:
The Working Group also made a number of proposals for new management measures, including possible roles for marine spatial planning and marine protected areas; discusses the role of assessment and monitoring procedures; proposes changes to the current governance and enforcement systems; and makes recommendations on data management and information provision. There are also recommendations for trialling of new initiatives and promoting ideas with other countries in the North-east Atlantic biographic region.
The UK Government Review of Marine Nature Conservation set up the Irish Sea Pilot project in 2002 to test the potential for an ecosystem approach to managing the marine environment at a regional sea scale. The Irish Sea Pilot project has now completed its research and has reported to Defra making 64 recommendations. Further information and the final report is available from the JNCC website.
ENGLISH
NATURE'S MARITIME STRATEGY
English Natures Maritime Strategy 'our coasts and seas - making space for
people, industry and wildlife' was launched in 2005. Three key
priorities for action highlighted in our Maritime Strategy are:
This strategy will help to take forward the Government's Maritime Strategy
THE
OUTCOME OF THE GOVERNMENT'S REVIEW OF DEVELOPMENT IN COASTAL AND MARINE WATERS
(DUE SOON)
The objective of this review is to reduce the complexity of the regime
governing development in coastal and marine waters by:
OTHER RELATED INITIATIVES RELEVANT TO ICZM
Following the proposal of a Marine Bill outlined in the legislative programme in May 2005, a draft has now been produced which is currently undergoing consultation. The main features of the draft Marine Bill are as follows:
Work on the Bill has followed recommendations for new legislative arrangements for the coastal and marine environment from several reviews. The territorial extent is still to be confirmed. You can read the Solent Forum Steering Group response here.
Marine spatial planning has been suggested in a number of the recommendations and strategies which have been carried out by government and other agencies in the past year and has also been identified as being central to the Marine Bill. Marine spatial plans would allow users to look at the wider picture and not just at the activities of individual sectors.
One of the objectives of the Irish Sea Pilot was to develop an outline of an improved coastal and marine spatial planning framework and identify practical steps towards implementation. Marine spatial plans or policy frameworks should clearly set out priorities, policy guidance and environmental standards for the development and protection of marine resources. It is important that spatial planning does not add yet another layer of bureaucracy to the regulatory process or be an unnecessary barrier to development. The aim should be that, if good plans can be produced, developers would have clear indication in advance of where particular types of development are likely to be acceptable and where they are not. The plans should help regulators to address the cumulative impacts on marine biodiversity of multiple developments in a given area, to deliver sustainable development, including economic, social and environmental objectives.
Defra has commissioned a marine spatial planning pilot in the Irish Sea to test the practicability of implementing marine spatial planning in the UK waters. Information about the project and all the project outputs can be obtained from ABPmer
It is likely that Marine Spatial Planning will be at the regional seas level and there may be nested subregional plans in specific area. Both fisheries and nature conservation have started to look at the regional seas approach to management.
TOWARDS MARINE SPATIAL PLANNING IN THE SOLENT
It is possible that the Solent area could be a sub regional area in a larger regional marine spatial plan. Reforms to the planning system on land mean that there are now regional strategies and Local Development Frameworks. Sub regional strategies are being developed for areas to address issues that cannot be dealt with either by individual or joint development plan documents or by other policies in the regional plan. If the MSP system was to mirror that of terrestrial planning it is likely that the same approach will be taken with overarching plans being developed at the regional seas level and sub regional strategies being developed for areas where there are specific issues to be addressed or a concentration of many activities and interests in a specific area. The Solent may be considered such an area and as such play a role in the development of a sub regional MSP pilot.
The Solent Forum has been considering the idea of marine spatial planning and in the summer of 2004 a student project looked at this concept. The report is available from the Solent Forum office. The Forum meeting, September 2005, will focus on coastal management including MSP and this will be followed with a workshop in 2006.
For more explanation of the principles of ICZM visit the EU website and the new ICZM evaluation website.
Further information will be added to the website as and when there are developments with both ICZM, the Marine Bill and MSP.
Marine Bill
Visit the Defra Marine Bill Website to keep up to date with the work which is being done on the Marine Bill
See also the Defra ICZM webpages for progress with the UK ICZM Strategy
Wildlife and Countryside LINK have produced a number of Marine Bill Bulletins outlining what they would like to see in the Marine Bill.
Page last updated 2 June 2006
