Marine spatial planning
Marine Spatial Planning is a way of updating planning and decision-making relevant to each region of seas.
It is a management tool that can bring together information, and deliver the three pillars of sustainability and the ecosystem-based approach. It will also ensure we have integrated decision-making by bringing the many responsible bodies and stakeholders together, so that sections of our seas are exploited under the guidance of an all encompassing plan, in a similar way to planning on land. Marine Spatial Planning is a relatively recent concept. It is therefore important to get it right.
WWF wants to see a planning system in place to provide some certainty for much-needed development of renewable energy, and manage conflicts between other users. It is important that Marine Spatial Planning also aims to sustain livelihoods and enable leisure activities to continue while best practice guidelines are employed.
Understanding the whole picture of what is happening in our seas will help us to avoid many of the human impacts on sensitive species and habitats. We also need a robust long-term data management system that ensures all available marine data can be provided for Marine Spatial Planning. This will help us to make the best possible decisions about the future health of our marine environment.