Initiating and Managing an MSP Process

Marine spatial planning (MSP) is the focus of considerable interest worldwide. In the past decade, it has grown from initiatives in a handful of places, mostly in Western Europe and North America, to over 60 initiatives around the world in various stages of development. Depending on each locale's unique ecological and socioeconomic character, MSP processes can involve any of a number of elements and buzzwords - including ecosystem-based management, marine protected areas, Blue Growth, Large Marine Ecosystems, transboundary management, adaptive management, and much more. The list below offers a start to understanding the steps in building an effective MSP process, and how to continue that process through creation of a useful spatial plan and beyond.

Guide

• Marine Spatial Planning: A Step-by-Step Approach toward Ecosystem-based Management

• A Guide to Evaluating Marine Spatial Plans

MEAM articles

• Insights from Practitioners: Challenges and Solutions for Ocean Planning

• Perspective: 13 Myths of Marine Spatial Planning

• Planning Canada’s Pacific Coast: What Made it Work

• Mismatches between the scale of ecosystems and the scale of management: How practitioners are addressing this challenge

• Preparing data and maps for a regional MSP process: Interview with Nick Napoli

• Adaptive Management: What Does It Look Like in Practice?

• “If the fishers are having coffee, you drink coffee with them”: MSP in St. Kitts and Nevis — a Discussion

• “You're either at the table or you're on the table”: Charles Ehler on the importance of participating in MSP processes

Videos

• Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) in a nutshell

• Voices in Ocean Planning: Lessons from Leaders series

• Insights from Leaders: Practical Solutions on Ocean Planning series

• Become a Maritime Spatialist in 10 Minutes

Webinars

• Lessons in Managing Public Space: From Public Lands to the EEZ

• Decision Guide: Selecting Decision Support Tools for Marine Spatial Planning