CCMS experts participated at the sixth MSPglobal online seminar – the first in English – organised on 6 May 2020, with a theme “How to ensure Ecosystem-Based Approach (EBA) principles in the context of Marine Spatial Planning (MSP)”. More than 300 participants joined the online seminar from over 45 different countries and had the opportunity to hear the perspective of five different speakers all across the world:
- Ant Turkmen, Ecological Research Society (Turkey)- presented two examples of ecosystem-based management (EBM) approach in MSP developed in Turkey: the Gulf of Iskenderun and Gokova Bay.
- Shannon Hampton, International Ocean Institute (South Africa) - presented the Mami Wata project for development of an integrated ocean management approach for West, Central and Southern Africa through capacity building activities and sharing expert knowledge using three different tools (Ecologically or Biologically Significant marine Areas – EBSAs, State of the Marine Environment reporting – SoME and MSP process) in Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana and Benin.
- Luke McEachron, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (United States)- presented the case of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary (FKNMS), and main tasks with managing fish and wildlife for their long-term well-being involving an EBM approach.
- Lisa Sousa, Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies – CESAM and Department of Environment and Planning, University of Aveiro (Portugal)- presented the experience of the EBM approach in the MSP implementation process in Portugal in the development of the Situation Plan, also the principles of adaptive management, integrated management, precautionary approach, etc.
- Janica Borg, WWF European Policy Office – presented a WWF Position Paper published in February 2020 to support and guide countries and regions in developing ecosystem-based marine spatial plans (this includes the need to establish measurable goals and carry out cumulative impact assessments, the importance of EIA and SEA and the need to adopt the precautionary principle).
A couple of key recommendations suggested by the audience in order to improve the application of EBM principles into MSP were summurised by the MSPglobal team, focusing on:
• Developing a transparent process where all stakeholders are equally engaged in order to build trust
• Promoting training and capacity development in institutions in charge of MSP
• Enhancing awareness and improving education, communication and dialogue
• Improving coordination and cooperation between institutions with interests on the sea and with those on land whose activities might affect the sea
• Generating political will and setting EBM principles as a national priority
• Increasing research, improving data collection, establishing standards and a holistic set of environmental indicators as well as effective monitoring
• Enhancing cooperation between academia, authorities and society
• Establishing long-term ecological assessments and flexible adaptive management
• Developing cumulative impact assessment prior to the formulation of planning scenarios
• Directing more resources to operationalize EBM in MSP
For more details and published documents from the online seminar follow on the MSPglobal webpage: http://www.mspglobal2030.org/perspectives-on-implementing-ebm-in-msp/