Marine Spatial Planning Initiative

What is Marine Spatial Planning?  "(MSP) is a public process of analyzing and allocating the spatial and temporal distribution of human activities in marine areas to achieve ecological, economic, and social objectives that usually have been specified through a political process. Characteristics of marine spatial planning include ecosystem-based, area-based, integrated, adaptive, strategic and participatory.

Marine spatial planning is not an end in itself, but a practical way to create and establish a more rational use of marine space and the interactions between its uses, to balance demands for development with the need to protect the environment, and to achieve social and economic objectives in an open and planned way." (Definition courtesy of UNESCO-IOC-MSP Initiative)

Visit this link to download "Step-by-Step Approach for Marine Spatial Planning toward Ecosystem-based Management" - Published by UNESCO, May 2009. http://www.unesco-ioc-marinesp.be/msp_guide

UNESCO's Marine Spatial Planning Initiave pages provide links and documentation to MSP around the world, MSP good practices, FAQs, references, publications and more!