Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
6.5 Implementing the ecosystem approach
One of the key challenges for management of ocean areas is to integrate various manage-
ment approaches undertaken by sectors into a comprehensive and cohesive plan, with the
ecosystem as its central framework. Some countries and regions are starting to develop this
type of integration for their EEZs through ocean policies, and implementing them through
marine spatial planning.
Marine spatial planning (MSP) is an approach or framework for providing a means to
improve decision-making as it relates to the use of marine resources and space. According
to the Aspen Institute, MSP is an alternative, public process that collects, analyses, and iden-
tifies where human activities occur, in order to achieve agreed upon ecological, economic,
and social goals. Key features of successful MSP programmes include consideration of mul-
tiple scales; a long-term perspective; recognition that humans are an integral part of eco-
systems; an adaptive management perspective; and concern for sustaining ecosystem goods
and services (Ehler, 2011 ) . The ecosystem approach and ecosystem based management are
principles that underlie MSP in coastal and marine realms. MSP is forward-looking and in-
formed by predefined goals, objectives and policies (CBD, 2012 ).
MSP is a framework that supports implementation of the ecosystem approach, in re-
cognizing the connections that exist between land, freshwater, and marine ecosystems. It
also addresses human uses, opportunities, and impacts in all of these systems. It focuses on
three-dimensional and often dynamic ocean space, providing a planning process for the use
of that space, which is aimed at delivering the goods and services society needs or desires
from marine ecosystems. Ideally, this process considers both natural and political boundar-
ies, reconciling conflicting uses of space in a fair and equitable manner, identifying and pro-
moting synergistic uses, recognizing the intrinsic value of biodiversity, and working within
the prevailing political, legal, administrative and cultural regime (CBD, 2012 ).
The success of MSP, similarly to the ecosystem approach, is dependent on the identi-
fication and active participation of all stakeholders. It is also dependent on the management
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