Three perspectives of marine spatial planning, the outcomes of an WOC-SAMS webinar with lots of links on MSP in the North Sea, the latest MMO planning update and Alec Taylor from WWF-UK on the need for more ambition in way UK is implementing marine plans.
1. WOC ‘ North Sea Industry Leaders Participate in Webinar on MSP Opportunities and Challenges Organized by WOC and Scottish Association for Marine Science
Ocean businesses gathered online to discuss the challenges and perspectives of marine spatial planning (MSP) in the North Sea region at a World Ocean Council (WOC) and Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS) webinar on Monday, 29 February 2016. Industry representatives were able to inform the approach to MSP in the North Sea and beyond and strengthen the network of ocean industry leaders in the region. The WOC/SAMS webinar summary consolidates key points for marine planning leaders in the North Sea region to consider regarding the private sector. The summary is available on the WOC website and contributes to the development of industry perspectives on best practices, for existing and future MSP. Click here. For more information on WOC’s MSP Program, visit http://www.oceancouncil.org/site/planning.php .
2. The Latest MMO Marine Planning news has come out with lots of useful updates on work in England. To sign up for this email the marine planning team: planning@marinemanagement.org.uk with your request.
There are developments on south and east plans and the following reports: Seascape assessment. We have commissioned a strategic seascape assessment for the South West Inshore and Offshore Marine Plan Areas. This follows on from assessments for the north east, north west and south east that were completed in 2015. The assessment will be completed by the end of this month. If you are interested in seascape or what seascape might mean for your plan policy and decision-making, please contact David Hutchinson, 0208 0265 176.
Other evidence projects
Review of Marine Planning Monitoring and Evaluation Framework and Development of Baselines’ (MMO1087): This report provides a review and critique of the East Implementation and Monitoring Plan, assessing it’s suitability as a framework for implementation and monitoring plans in the remaining plan areas. Recommendations made as part of the review have influenced the development of the South marine plan and its supporting monitoring plan.
Essential fish habitats (MMO1096): Modelling the location of fish nursery spawning and feeding grounds. The project explores methodologies for improvement of data and methods to predict habitat occurrence.
Potential spatial effects of climate change in the South and East Marine Plan Areas (MMO1077): Combine future climate data from the UK climate projections 2009 with information on current and predicted marine activities in the South and East marine plan areas to identify potential climate change impacts and benefits.
Evidence Supporting the Use of Environmental Remediation to Improve Water Quality in the South Marine Plan Areas (MMO1105): Investigating the potential use of environmental remediation to improve water quality in the South Marine Plan Areas.
Sub-national policy review (MMO 1109/MMO 1110): A review of all relevant statutory and non-statutory plans which help inform our evidence base for marine planning, as well as looking at improving opportunities for integration between land-use and marine planning systems. Due for completion soon and will be available in due course.
You can review the full evidence register or the list of current evidence reports on our website.
3. Marine planning needs to be more ambitious in 2016
Alec Taylor Blog WWF-UK In November 2015, the Government laid before Parliament a report that you may have missed. No fanfare, no announcements, not a sniff of media coverage. The report sets out progress in delivering marine planning in English waters, six years since the Marine and Coastal Access Act came into force. Given that the marine environment has had no system of strategic planning at all, this is kind of a big deal (for some of us!). This report said little more than that some marine plans had been completed, some others were in preparation, and something will be done about the rest. To read it, you’d get no insight into the quality of those plans, or the process that created them. So as someone who has been through this process since the beginning, it’s perhaps a good time to reflect on where marine planning – alternatively known as Marine or Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP) – has got to in England. We at WWF and Wildlife & Countryside Link have always been clear: marine planning has to be spatial, inclusive, ambitious and ecosystem based. It also needs to support the network of Marine Protected Areas we have long called for and that hundreds of MPs and Peers support. As a process it has to involve sea users and NGOs from the start, at the lowest practical level, and deliver enough to keep them interested to actually use the plan(s) in the long term.
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