Marine Spatial Planning

Marine spatial planning coordinates the competing uses of a sea area (fishing, shipping lanes, offshore wind, aquaculture, conservation, and recreation) by mapping them onto a shared, ecosystem-based plan. The EU’s 2014 Maritime Spatial Planning Directive required member states to produce maritime spatial plans by 2021. The process reduces user conflict and provides the spatial backbone for siting MPA networks and offshore renewable zones while keeping navigation and fishing grounds open.