Country information
Basic facts on marine waters
- Territorial sea (12 nm zone): approximately 1,810 km2
- Internal waters: approximately 35 km2 (lagoons not included)
- Exclusive Economic Zone: approximately 4,560 km2 including adjoining zone
Which marine spatial plans exist?
A Comprehensive Plan exists for the Republic of Lithuania (including a section on “maritime territories“). The “maritime territories” section, that complements the terrestrial spatial planning, was adopted by the Seimas (the Parliament of the Republic of Lithuania) in 2015.
The objectives of planning are: to ensure the transparent, known conditions of the uses of the territory in the whole state and in the space under responsibility of the Republic of Lithuania, and consequently, to implement a plan for the land and sea territory in one document.
This current plan expired in 2020, and a new Comprehensive Plan for the Republic of Lithuania is currently being prepared.
The strategic section called the “Concept of Comprehensive Plan for the territory of the Republic of Lithuania” (CPRL) was approved by the Parliament on 4 June 2020. The full CPRL (solutions) have been drafted and public consultations were arranged during the period 31 August – 5 October 2020. Currently, the Plan is in the finalization phase, preparing for submission to the Government.
Legal framework
MSP in Lithuania is covered by the national legislation regulating spatial planning, namely the Law on Territorial Planning and its secondary legal acts. The revised Law on Territorial Planning (2013) includes stipulations on sea space planning. Part of the marine space (up to 20 m isobath) also falls under the regulation of the Law of the Coastal Strip.
Based on the stipulations of national legal acts, Lithuanian marine territories were planned while extending the existing Comprehensive Plan for the Territory of the Republic of Lithuania by one more part – “maritime territories”, which included marine spatial solutions for the Lithuanian territorial waters and the EEZ.
Contact
Ministry of Environment
Construction and Territorial Planning Policy Group
Ms. Algimantė Treinienė – Senior Advisor
Ms. Asta Rokickienė – Senior Specialist
A. Jakšto 4/9
Vilnius, Lithuania
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Ministry of Environment
Pollution Prevention Policy Group
Mr. Vitalijus Auglys – Head
A. Jakšto 4/9
Vilnius, Lithuania