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11 th International Symposium for GIS and Computer Cartography for Coastal Zones Managementand with other domain specific legislation and institutions, to enable and support coastal and marine spatial planning.These policies are known as the “Outcomes Approach” and the National Strategy for Sustainable Development(NSSD; DEA, 2011b).In the “Outcomes Approach”, adopted by the Presidency in 2010, the clearly articulated Outcomes (RSA, 2010)reflecting the desired development impacts that government seeks to achieve were identified. Two outcomes arerelevant for the discussion at hand; Outcome 6 on Infrastructure established the requisite for an efficient, competitiveand responsive economic infrastructure network. This outcome has amongst its outputs the need for improvementof the communication and information technology infrastructure. Outcome 10 on the Environment identifiesthe prerogative for environmental assets and natural resources that are well protected and continually enhanced(DEA, 2010b). Similarly, the National Strategy for Sustainable Development (NSSD), published by the Departmentof Environmental Affairs (DEA), focuses on sustainable development that is appropriate and specific to the SouthAfrican context. This will involve shared and accelerated growth that uses materials and resources more efficiently.The NSSD highlights the priority areas for intervention and identifies measures with which to respond to the trendsin natural resources, the economy, society and governance. Most relevant to the establishment of a framework forintegrated coastal management and marine spatial planning are the goals for sustaining ecosystems and using resourcessustainably; investing in sustainable economic development and infrastructure; enhancing systems for integratedplanning and implementation; and building capacity for sustainable development. Both the Presidential Outcomesand the NSSD create a policy platform for the establishment of an ICM framework.Enabling spatial infrastructurePossibly the most important enabling prerequisite for the creation of a structured model in support of seamlesscoastal and marine spatial planning in South Africa is the enactment of both the Promotion of Access to InformationAct (PAI Act; No. 2 of 2000, amended No. 54 of 2002) as well as the Spatial Data Infrastructure Act (SDI Act; No.54 of 2003).The SDI Act was drafted in recognition of the importance of developing a National Spatial Data Infrastructure(NSDI). This is in line with global trends in information infrastructure. The PAI Act ensures the availability of dataand information. One of the measures implemented to assist with the creation of an NSDI was the establishment ofthe National Spatial Information Framework (NSIF, www.nsif.org.za), a national initiative to co-ordinate the developmentof infrastructure needed to support the utilization of spatial information in decision making. However, incompany with most NSDI initiatives, the priority projects of the NSIF are biased by the contemporary challengesfacing national government. In the case of South Africa, these include the mapping of land claims, communal LandRights Act mapping, developing of national information standards as well as projects with an emphasis on educationand awareness (Celliers and Longhorn, 2007).With the development of an NSDI, there is an equal opportunity, driven by the value (ecological, economic andsocial) of the coast, for the concomitant development of a thematic spatial data infrastructure dealing with theoceans and coast. Coastal Spatial Data Infrastructures (CSDIs) are not a new concept and the projected value of suchinfrastructure is reflected in the size of global investments (IACMST, 2006; Jonkers, 2006; MOTIIVE, 2006). Theoverall national growth and development policies, the legislative landscape, the institutional framework of the ICMAct (Celliers et al., 2013) and the technology platform are already in place, if not clearly integrated between stateagencies (e.g. Department of Environmental Affairs and Department of Science and Technology) to realise a CSDI.The successful development of a South African CSDI underpins much of the technological, institutional and governancerequirements of a structured model to support oceans and coastal spatial planning.Enabling Coastal and Marine Spatial PlanningSouth Africa has a plethora of world-class environmental legislation that supports the creation of a structuredmodel in support of marine and coastal spatial planning. These include the National Environmental ManagementAct (NEMA; Act 107 of 1998); Marine Living Resources Act; Biodiversity Act and the Protected Area Act. All ofthese legal tools require some form of spatial data and information gathering, monitoring and reporting. In manycases, these acts also specify the creation of institutions for management as well as the development of spatial reporting.More recently, South Africa promulgated the National Environmental: ICM Act (No. 24 of 2008) (ICM Act) thatentered into force in December 2009. The ICM Act draws together many of the sector-based laws under the umbrel-85