Country information
Basic facts on marine waters
- Internal waters: approximately 199 km²
- Territorial waters: approximately 3,830 km²
- Contiguous zone: approximately 10,762 km²
- Continental shelf: approximately 75,779 km²
- Exclusive Economic Zone: Malta has not yet declared any EEZ
- Fisheries Management Conservation Zone, which extends to 25 nm from the baselines from which the breadth of the territorial waters is measured: approximately 11,480 km²
National practices
- Bologna Charter: Charter / Joint Action Plan
- Land-Sea Interactions in the framework of ICZM and MSP
- Marine Alien Invasive Species Strategy for the Mediterranean MPA network
- Visitor use observation and monitoring in Mediterranean MPAs
- Sustainable financing of Marine Protected areas in the Mediterranean
- Aquaculture – From conflict to blue growth: An example of aquaculture cages re-allocation
- Case study of the Strait of Sicily – Malta: Part I / Part II
Relevant MSP projects
- CAMP – Coastal Area Management Programme
- MSP-MED – Maritime Spatial Planning in the Mediterranean (2020-2022)
- MSPglobal – Transboundary pilot in the Western Mediterranean (2018-2021)
- SIMWESTMED – Supporting Maritime Spatial Planning in the Western Mediterranean Region (2017-2018)
- BlueMed Initiative (2014-2018)
- COASTGAP – Coastal Governance and Adaptation Policies in the Mediterranean (2013-2015)
- MedPAN – Network of Marine Protected Area Managers in the Mediterranean (2016)
- MEDTRENDS – Future Trends in the Mediterranean Sea (2016)
- COCONET – Towards Coast to Coast Networks of Marine Protected Areas (from the shore to the high and deep sea), coupled with sea-based wind energy potential (2012-2016)
- CREAM – Coordinating Research in Support to Application of Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries and Management Advice in the Mediterranean and Black Seas (2011-2014)
- PEGASO – People for Ecosystem-based Governance in Assessing Sustainable Development of Ocean and Coast (2010-2014)
- MESMA – Monitoring and Evaluation of Spatially Managed Areas (2009-2013)
Which marine spatial plans exist?
The Strategic Plan for Environment and Development (2015) constitutes the national Maritime Spatial Plan and formulates the strategic spatial policy framework for environment and development up to 2020.
Legal framework
The main legislative act for spatial planning in Malta is the Development Planning Act of 2016 which also addresses development at sea. Subsidiary legislation under this Act is being prepared for the transposition of Directive 2014/89/EU. The Strategic Plan for Environment and Development (2015) is the overarching document for planning issues on land and at sea in an integrated manner.
Contact
Ms. Michelle Borg – Unit Manager
*
Environment and Resources Authority/Environmental Assessment Unit
Ms. Josianne Abela Vassallo