Section 06 - UKOTCF

The Marine Perspective on Spatial Planning, Protected Areas
and International Standards
Fiona Gell (Senior Wildlife and Conservation Officer – Marine, Wildlife and
Conservation Division, Isle of Man)
Gell, F. 2010. The Marine Perspective on Spatial Planning, Protected Areas and
International Standards. pp 200-208 in Making the Right Connections: a conference
on conservation in UK Overseas Territories, Crown Dependencies and other
small island communities, Grand Cayman 30th May to 5th June 2009 (ed. by M.
Pienkowski, O. Cheesman, C. Quick & A. Pienkowski). UK Overseas Territories
Conservation Forum, www.ukotcf.org
The marine environment is diverse and often little studied and may be less actively
protected compared to terrestrial systems. Uses of our coasts and seas are diversifying
and intensifying all the time and it is essential to ensure that conservation
of marine species and habitats forms part of new initiatives to exploit and manage
marine resources.
A formal approach to planning in the marine environment is a relatively new development
in many jurisdictions. Effective Marine Spatial Planning could put marine
conservation considerations at the core of marine decision-making but waiting for
the implementation of complex MSP schemes could also be seen to delay effective
marine conservation initiatives in the shorter term.
For any new initiative associated with the marine environment a major challenge can
be the lack of understanding of marine ecosystems at every level. How we tackle
this underlying issue on small islands, when we may already be overwhelmed with
the day to day work of taking forward marine conservation, is critical for the future
of our marine biodiversity.
Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) present particular challenges and opportunities,
from the start of decision-making on their designation through to daily running of
a site, monitoring and adapting management to longer term changes. Could we do
more to exchange information and best practice between geographical regions?
Would it be useful to develop more collaborative work on the special MPA issues
that small jurisdictions may need to address – e.g. developing appropriate legislation
and management systems, lack of local scientific expertise and difficulties with
funding?
Here, I develop these themes and hope that this will also be an opportunity to share
good practice and case studies on how challenges have been met in different jurisdictions.
Main issues discussed:
1. The development of formal Marine Spatial Planning.
2. Effective Marine Environmental Impact Assessment and good practice in
coastal casework
3. The challenges associated with establishing new Marine Protected Areas and the
effective management and monitoring of existing Marine Protected Areas.
4. Cross-boundary co-operation (regional and international) to support effective
monitoring and support compliance with international obligations/regional best
practice.
5. Education and awareness-raising at every level – a special challenge for marine
management.
Dr Fiona Gell, Senior Wildlife and Conservation Officer – Marine, Wildlife and
Conservation Division, Isle of Man Government, Knockaloe Farm, Patrick, IM5
3AJ, Isle of Man, British Isles. Email: fiona.gell@gov.im
Making the Right Connections: a conference on conservation in UK Overseas Territories, Crown Dependencies and other small island communities, page 200