Marine Planning Case Studies
The following case studies illustrate the use of marine spatial planning (MSP) and ecosystem-based management (EBM) to address multiple objectives. The case studies show how decision support methods and interactive decision support systems are applied in practice.
Indonesia – Raja Ampat Marine Zoning
As part of a long-term conservation initiative in the Bird’s Head Seascape of Indonesia, striving to sustain both biodiversity and the livelihoods of the people who live there, this project worked to support the development of zoning plans for marine protected areas in the Raja Ampat archipelago. Read more...
St. Kitts and Nevis Marine Zoning
This project initiated a marine spatial planning process and drafted a marine zoning design for a small island nation in the Eastern Caribbean, St. Kitts and Nevis. It did not focus narrowly on conservation, fisheries, or another individual sector but instead took a multi-objective approach. Read more...
Venezuela Energy Development
This project established a zoning scheme for offshore oil and gas exploitation that also protects priority areas for biodiversity conservation. Read more...
USA – Gulf of Mexico Coastal Hazards
This project identified coastal wetlands that are valuable for both supporting biodiversity and protecting human populations from storm damage. Read more...
USA – West Coast Fisheries
This project developed specific management options to meet objectives for both fishery production and biodiversity conservation. Read more...
USA – Pacific Northwest Land-Sea Integration
These projects used an integrated, spatial analysis of marine, freshwater, and terrestrial ecosystems in a region. They identified networks of potential protected areas that would meet goals for biodiversity conservation with lower economic costs than when ecosystems were analyzed separately. Read more...
See Also ...
See the Interactive Decision Support section for more information and case studies related to specific interactive decision support systems. Read more...