Programs to create detailed maps of marine areas that identify use by humans, habitat and natural resources, along with allocated space for fishing, recreation, shipping, oil and gas development and renewable energy production are on the rise.
The marine spatial plan gives communities the tools to define their environmental, economic and social goals to minimize conflicts among users and to maximize benefits. President Obama directed 22 U.S. federal agenices to develop a framework for effective coastal and marine spatial planning back in June and the number of programs are multiplying. The effort addresses both ocean coasts and Great Lakes resources.
There was a one-day symposium this past Saturday about marine spatial planning at this year’s annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Learn more about the AAAS symposium on the subject, including details on presenters, in this press release.
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We firmly believe that the strength of MSP will rely on the development of a robust Marine Spatial Data Infrastructure.
CARIS is hosting an MSDI Symposium at CARIS 2010 in Miami 24 March. See caris.com for information.