A new tool has been designed to help policymakers, planners, and regulatory bodies integrate ecological principles into the process of Marine Spatial Planning (MSP). MSP involves organizing human activities in marine areas to balance environmental, economic, and social interests, and an ecosystem-based approach ensures that planning decisions consider the health and sustainability of marine ecosystems.
It was developed by an international team of researchers, led by AZTI, a technology centre specialising in the marine environment and food.
The group said the effectiveness of the tool has been demonstrated in a study published in Communications Earth & Environment journal, which is associated with Nature. The study demonstrates an advanced approach to marine management.
The tool, named the Ecosystem-Based Marine Spatial Planning Assessment Tool (EB-MSP Assessment Tool), offers a standardised method to integrate ecosystem-based management practices at different phases of the marine spatial planning process. This method is aligned with the principles of the Convention on Biological Diversity and supports global conservation goals, such as those established by the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
The proposed method is particularly important when the growing demand for marine resources and space from emerging sectors (such as marine renewable energies, aquaculture, and maritime tourism) and traditional activities (like fishing and maritime traffic) calls for an integrated approach to managing human activities. The tool allows for a detailed and individualized assessment of marine spatial plans, identifying critical aspects and proposing concrete actions for effective management.
“This tool enables a standardised assessment of plans, ensuring that they not only exist on paper but that they are implemented through measurable actions that allow for adaptive management,” said Ibon Galparsoro, of AZTI. “The tool helps to evaluate whether environmental, social, economic and governance aspects and participatory processes have been properly considered, proposing specific actions for the continuous improvement of marine space management” adds Galparsoro.
The effectiveness of this tool has been demonstrated through its application in evaluating the marine spatial plans of the cross-border area of the Bay of Biscay, under the jurisdiction of France and Spain. The study identified several aspects for improvement; among others, in Spain, the need to align environmental, social, and sectorial objectives, and to improve participatory processes, enhancing the representativeness of society and minority sectors in decision-making. In France, the need to identify different options for sharing marine space and priority conservation areas and to establish mechanisms for the integration of new data and knowledge prior to the six-year review of the plan has been identified. In both plans, the need to consider the effects of climate change on the socio-ecological system and its impact on maritime sectors was noted, as well as that of improving the governance structure and existing knowledge of ecosystem processes.
“This methodology is reproducible and can be adapted to different geographical contexts, which is vital for international collaboration in protecting our oceans,” states the AZTI researcher. “The tool developed is being well accepted by the scientific community and by marine spatial planning practitioners in several European countries where it is being applied, within the framework of the MarinePlan project (https://www.marineplan.eu/), and we intend to extend its use to a broader geographical context.” This tool is an invaluable resource for policy-making, research, and the management of marine space as it provides a standardised framework that facilitates the evaluation and continuous improvement of marine management plans.
Citation: Galparsoro et al. 2025. Assessment tool addresses implementation challenges of ecosystem-based management principles in marine spatial planning processes. Communications Earth & Environment, Nature. https://www.nature.com/articles/s43247-024-01975-7
