Geoscience Reference
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governance. The response to this is that, in most respects, marine
institutions would interact in their plan-making activities with relevant
local authorities and with central government in the same way as land-
based regional bodies. It would be sensible for marine and local autho-
rities that have responsibility for places whose economy is dependent
on exploitation of the seas to explore collaboratively how the negative
ecological consequences of this dependency might be reduced. In addi-
tion, the capacity of the seas to meet demand for resources should fall
to be considered alongside those of terrestrial regions in strategic plan-
ning processes. The ecological bene
ts and potential impacts of offshore
exploitation should be explored at the same time as those other options
with possibilities for marine development and sea uses only being pur-
sued if it is felt that these would contribute to reducing levels of eco-
logical stress, and if preferred terrestrial alternatives are not available
over the timescales for which plans are developed. This approach would,
as I noted above, present a signi
cant contrast with perception of the seas
as an area in which activities that would be regarded as unpalatable if
conducted on land can be pursued without consequence because there is
no public to appease.
The second is how relations should be structured between units of
marine governance and local authorities. I have already noted the need
for interaction between them to mitigate the negative impacts of coastal
economies and land-based activities on marine ecosystems. In addition,
uses of the seas which have no immediate connection with coastal
communities may be seen by them as incompatible with the character
ofcoastalplacesorasathreattotheireconomicwell-being.Forexample,
early offshore wind farmdevelopments have given rise to public concern,
and, in some instances, opposition on grounds that this type of develop-
ment would be inappropriate where it would be visible from coastlines
that have previously enjoyed unencumbered views and from places
which value, and sometimes trade on, the wilderness nature of coastal
environments.
136
In view of this, collaboration between institutions for
marine governance and local authorities and the participation of people
who hold values in coastal places in any planning process under which
possibilities for marine development are to be explored would be impor-
tant if resulting plans and following proposals for development are to
be seen as legitimate and accepted by the communities that they would
affect.
137
136
137
Ibid
., 228
-
30.
Ibid
., 224
-
5, 230.
