Country information
Basic facts on marine waters
- Territorial sea (12 NM): 50 957 km²
- Exclusive Economic Zone: 1 660 456 km²
- Extended continental shelf: 2 400 000 km²
Strategic documents related to MSP
- National Strategy for the Sea (ENM 2013-2020)
- National Ocean Strategy (ENM 2021-2030)
- Oceanic Renewable Energy Strategy
- Tourism Strategy 2027
- National Strategy for the management of the coastal zones
- Roadmap to Carbon Neutrality
Current status of MSP
Name of the plan |
Situation Plan for the subdivisions of the Mainland, the Extended Continental Shelf, Madeira and Azores |
|---|---|
Year of approval
|
2019 except for the Açores subdivision (2024) |
Size of planning area in km²
|
4 124 828 km² |
Authority leading the MSP process
|
General Directorate of Natural Resources, Security and Maritime Service |
Current status |
|
|---|---|
Pre-planning
|
Completed |
Assessments for planning
|
Completed |
Plan development
|
Completed |
Plan completion
|
Completed |
Plan approval
|
Completed |
Plan implementation
|
Completed |
Plan review
|
N/A |
MSP Typology |
|
|---|---|
Scale (1 = Local / 2 = Sub-national / 3 = National)
|
National |
Scope (1 = Coastal Zone / 2 = Coastal and Marine / 3 = Marine)
|
Marine |
Purpose (1 = Strategic / 2 = Zoning / 3 = Comprehensive)
|
Zoning |
Political commitment (1 = Informal / 2 = Executive decision / 3= Legal statute)
|
Legal statute |
Implementation framework (1 = Guiding / 2 = Legally binding)
|
Legally binding |
Main objectives (1 = Biodiversity conservation / 2 = Economic development / 3 = Multiple objectives)
|
Multiple objectives |
Spatial allocation (1 = Limited / 2 = Partial allocation / 3 =Detailed allocation)
|
Detailed allocation |
Stakeholders involved (1 = Limited / 2 = Key sectors / 3 =Sectors & Public)
|
Sectors & Public |
Participatory process (1 = Informative / 2 = Consultative / 3 =Collaborative)
|
Consultative |
Funding (1= Government / 2 = Public-Private / 3 = Grants)
|
Government |
Name of the plan |
Allocation Plan for the Management of Dredged Material at Sea |
|---|---|
Year of approval
|
2023 |
Size of planning area in km²
|
22 968 km² (maritime interior waters and territorial sea) |
Authority leading the MSP process
|
General Directorate of Natural Resources, Security and Maritime Service |
Current status |
|
|---|---|
Pre-planning
|
Completed |
Assessments for planning
|
Completed |
Plan development
|
Completed |
Plan completion
|
Completed |
Plan approval
|
Completed |
Plan implementation
|
Completed |
Plan review
|
N/A |
MSP Typology |
|
|---|---|
Scale (1 = Local / 2 = Sub-national / 3 = National)
|
Sub-national |
Scope (1 = Coastal Zone / 2 = Coastal and Marine / 3 = Marine)
|
Marine |
Purpose (1 = Strategic / 2 = Zoning / 3 = Comprehensive)
|
Zoning |
Political commitment (1 = Informal / 2 = Executive decision / 3= Legal statute)
|
Legal statute |
Implementation framework (1 = Guiding / 2 = Legally binding)
|
Legally binding |
Main objectives (1 = Biodiversity conservation / 2 = Economic development / 3 = Multiple objectives)
|
Multiple objectives |
Spatial allocation (1 = Limited / 2 = Partial allocation / 3 =Detailed allocation)
|
Detailed allocation |
Stakeholders involved (1 = Limited / 2 = Key sectors / 3 =Sectors & Public)
|
Sectors & Public |
Participatory process (1 = Informative / 2 = Consultative / 3 =Collaborative)
|
Consultative |
Funding (1= Government / 2 = Public-Private / 3 = Grants)
|
Government |
Name of the plan |
Allocation Plan for Renewable Energies |
|---|---|
Year of approval
|
2025 |
Size of planning area in km²
|
310 489 km² |
Authority leading the MSP process
|
General Directorate of Natural Resources, Security and Maritime Service |
Current status |
|
|---|---|
Pre-planning
|
Completed |
Assessments for planning
|
Completed |
Plan development
|
Completed |
Plan completion
|
Completed |
Plan approval
|
Completed |
Plan implementation
|
Completed |
Plan review
|
N/A |
MSP Typology |
|
|---|---|
Scale (1 = Local / 2 = Sub-national / 3 = National)
|
Sub-national |
Scope (1 = Coastal Zone / 2 = Coastal and Marine / 3 = Marine)
|
Marine |
Purpose (1 = Strategic / 2 = Zoning / 3 = Comprehensive)
|
Zoning |
Political commitment (1 = Informal / 2 = Executive decision / 3= Legal statute)
|
Legal statute |
Implementation framework (1 = Guiding / 2 = Legally binding)
|
Legally binding |
Main objectives (1 = Biodiversity conservation / 2 = Economic development / 3 = Multiple objectives)
|
Multiple objectives |
Spatial allocation (1 = Limited / 2 = Partial allocation / 3 =Detailed allocation)
|
Detailed allocation |
Stakeholders involved (1 = Limited / 2 = Key sectors / 3 =Sectors & Public)
|
Sectors & Public |
Participatory process (1 = Informative / 2 = Consultative / 3 =Collaborative)
|
Consultative |
Funding (1= Government / 2 = Public-Private / 3 = Grants)
|
Government |
National authority in charge of MSP |
Directorate-General for Natural Resources, Safety and Maritime Services |
Governmental funding |
N/A |
External funding |
N/A |
Public-Private funding |
N/A |
Total size of planning area |
4 124 828 km² |
Time required to complete the planning document |
PSOEM except Açores (2016 a 2019), PSOEM Açores (2016-2024) |
Main issues that led to the adoption of MSP (drivers) |
Objectives set out in the strategic documents on which the plan was based Legal clarity in the concession of the private use of maritime space |
Stakeholder engagement activities |
Meetings and public sessions with stakeholders (fisheries, tourism, maritime transport, NGOs, among others) |
Sectors included in planning |
Aquaculture, management of coastal areas, ports and maritime transport, fisheries, tourism, energy, nature conservation |
Articulation between MSP and Integrated Coastal Zone Management (IZCM) |
Impacts of land-sea activities were analysed, and measures have been applied to mitigate them. |
Articulation between MSP and marine conservation (including the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework) |
The Marine Protected Areas, the Natura 2000 Network, as well as other areas of special interest for nature conservation were taken into account in the mapping areas for the development of private uses and activities in the maritime space. |
Articulation between MSP and sustainable blue economy |
Sustainable blue economy and specific targets formaritime activities such as offshore energy |
Articulation between MSP and climate change (including the Paris Agreement) |
The plan includes references to the importance of protecting coastal zones. Geological carbon storage was taken into account in the Plan but no areas for this activity were defined. |
Plan approval process |
As mentioned before 2019 except subdivision of Azores (2024) |
Legal status of the plan (guiding or legally binding) |
Resolution of the Council of Ministers n.º 203-A/2019, of December 30th and Resolution of the Council of Ministers n.º 136/2024, de 16 de outubro. Law No.17/2014 and Decree-Law No. 38/2015 |
Plan review process |
PSOEM is automatically amended following the approval of the allocation plans (example: the forimmersion of dredged material (PAID) and, the renewable energy allocation plan (PAER) approved |
Performance monitoring and evaluation |
In accordance with the provisions of the law (article 87 of Decree-Law No. 38/2015, of 12 March), in 2023, the first report on the state of maritime spatial planning was done. |
Interactions with neighbouring countries in the context of MSP attending transboundary coherence approaches |
Interactions with neighbouring countries in the context of MSP attending transboundary coherence approaches: Strategic Environmental Evaluation was shared with neighbouring countries, and comments from the Spanish national agencies were considered. However, the plan doesn’t include measures for monitoring transboundary cooperation. |
Legal framework
The MSP process was approved by parliamentary law. Subsequently, the Portuguese government developed specific legislation for its implementation:
- In April 2014, Law No. 17/2014 settled the basis of spatial planning and management policy for all the Portuguese maritime space, including the continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles
- Decree-Law no. 38/2015, published on 12 March 2015 (updated by Decree-Law No.139/2015), established the format and applicability of the maritime spatial plan and transposed to national law the European Directive on Maritime Spatial Planning (Directive 2014/89/EU)
- Resolução do Conselho de Ministros n.º 203-A/2009, de 30 de dezembro – approves the Situation Plan for the subdivisions of the Mainland, the Extended Continental Shelf and Madeira
- Resolução do Conselho de Ministros n.º 136/2024, de 16 de outubro – aproves the Situation Plan for the subdivisions of Azores
- Resolução do Conselho de Ministros n. º 123/2023, de 10 de outubro – approves the allocation plan for the management of dredged material at the sea
- Decreto-Lei n. º 26/2023, de 10 de abril – clarifies the application of the Environmental Impact Assessment to the allocation plans
- Resolução do Conselho de Ministros concerning the allocation plan of renewable energy – not published yet
Contact
General Directorate of Natural Resources, Security and Maritime Services
André Teixeira Couto – Head of Environmental Monitoring Unit