Country information
Basic facts on marine waters
- Territorial sea (12 nm zone): N/A
- Exclusive Economic Zone: N/A
Strategic documents related to MSP
- Draft Integrated Coastal Zone Management Policy Framework
- National Integrated Coastal Zone Management Policy Cabinet approved August 2023
- Draft National Maritime Policy and Strategy 2021
Technical resources related to MSP
Relevant MSP projects
- Protecting and Restoring the Ocean’s natural Capital, building Resilience and supporting region-wideInvestments for sustainable Blue socio-economic development (PROCARIBE+)
Current status of MSP
Name of the plan |
MSP for the Gulf of Paria |
|---|---|
Year of approval
|
N/A |
Size of planning area in km2
|
2 942 km2 |
Authority leading the MSP process
|
Institute of Marine Affairs |
Current status |
|
|---|---|
Pre-planning |
Status: Completed |
Assessments for planning |
Status: Underway |
Plan development
|
Status: Underway |
Plan completion
|
Status: N/A |
Plan approval
|
Status: N/A |
Plan implementation |
Status: N/A |
Plan review
|
Status: N/A |
National authority in charge of MSP |
Institute of Marine Affairs |
Governmental funding |
Ministry of Planning and Development |
External funding |
Global Environmental Fund (GEF) |
Public-Private funding |
N/A |
Total size of planning area in km2
|
2 942 km2 |
Time required to complete the planning document |
3 years |
Main issues that led to the adoption of MSP (drivers) |
The many economic activities within the GoP have led to conflicts between users including the oil and gas sector, shipping and fisherfolk. Along the coastline, among other things, communities have expressed concerns about the loss of beach property and access, due to erosion and coastal development linked to the expansion of industries, tourism and housing. Pollution of coastal waters has proven to be an ongoing and pervasive problem both from land-based and marine sources, and in parts of the GoP, the problem is particularly acute. Oil spills frequently occur in the marine and coastal environment of the GoP. There is already a range of activities competing for limited maritime space in the GoP and in the future, added to these existing activities would be new and emerging ones as the country pursues sustainable blue economy development. |
Stakeholder engagement activities |
MSP working groups, meetings, workshops, public education campaign |
Sectors included in planning |
Energy, tourism, shipping, fishing, environment |
Articulation between MSP and Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM)
|
MSP is a strategy to implement ICZM. |
Articulation between MSP and marine conservation (including the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework)
|
MSP and designation of marine protected area |
Articulation between MSP and sustainable blue economy |
MSP to facilitate the development of a sustainable blueeconomy. |
Articulation between MSP and climate change (including the Paris Agreement) |
Mitigating and adapting to climate change eg.restoration of blue carbon ecosystems |
Plan review process |
Requires Cabinet approval |
Legal status of the plan (guiding or legally binding) |
Legislation would have to be drafted and laid in parliament. |
Plan review process |
To be developed |
Performance monitoring and evaluation |
To be developed |
Interactions with neighbouring countries in the context of MSP attending transboundary coherence approaches |
Under PROCARIBE+ project there is opportunity for transboundary MSP with Venezuela |
Legal framework
An ICZM Policy (2020) was developed and awaiting Cabinet Approval. This would provide the policy framework for MSP nationally.
Currently, there is no legislation for MSP. A National Integrated Coastal Zone Management Policy was approved by Cabinet in 2023, and MSP is listed as a strategy to implement ICZM.