What outputs should be delivered from this step?
A preliminary list of specific problems you want to solve through marine spatial planning (MSP); and a decision about what kind of authority you need or already have for developing and implementing MSP.
Introduction
Once you decide to initiate MSP in your marine region, two points in particular need consideration before you get underway:
- Define clearly why you want to develop MSP. This will enable you to stay on track throughout the process; and
- Define whether you have appropriate authority to develop and implement MSP. If not, your efforts might be wasted if implementation is not possible later on.
TASK 1. IDENTIFYING WHY YOU NEED MARINE SPATIAL PLANNING
REMEMBER!
Marine places without any visible problems or conflicts today can look very different in another ten or twenty years. Anticipate potential conflicts and deal with them before they become problematic. For more information on projecting trends anticipating conflicts, and developing spatial scenarios, go to Step 6, Analyzing future conditions.
TIP!
It’s generally very difficult to gain the necessary support from politicians and other high-level individuals for abstract ideas or long-term causes (no matter how good they are) if they cannot relate or communicate them successfully to their constituencies. The same is true for MSP. Therefore, to gain support for MSP from politicians, be sure to specify the problems you encounter and detail as clearly as possible how MSP can help solve them.
What outputs should be delivered from this step?
A preliminary list of specific problems you want to solve through marine spatial planning (MSP); and a decision about what kind of authority you need or already have for developing and implementing MSP.
Introduction
Once you decide to initiate MSP in your marine region, two points in particular need consideration before you get underway:
- Define clearly why you want to develop MSP. This will enable you to stay on track throughout the process; and
- Define whether you have appropriate authority to develop and implement MSP. If not, your efforts might be wasted if implementation is not possible later on.