Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM)

Integrated coastal zone management (ICZM) is a coordinated, iterative process for governing the coastal zone that balances economic development, social needs, and ecological protection across the land-sea interface. It crosses sectoral and administrative boundaries, integrating fisheries, tourism, ports, agriculture, and conservation under shared objectives rather than fragmented permits. The EU promoted it through Recommendation 2002/413/EC and embedded its principles in the Maritime Spatial Planning Directive 2014/89/EU and the Barcelona Convention’s 2008 ICZM Protocol for the Mediterranean. ICZM relies on stakeholder participation, the ecosystem approach, and adaptive review. It sets the policy context within which marine spatial planning allocates specific sea uses.