International Workshop on Marine Spatial Planning, UNESCO, Paris, 8–10 November 2006: A summary

Abstract

Coastal regions are among the most valuable ecosystems due to the socioeconomic and ecological benefits and services they provide. Pressures, leading to multiple adverse effects on coastal habitats, seriously threaten these benefits. Coastal Spatial Planning (CSP) aims to mitigate these pressures in parallel with the E.U. Marine Strategy Framework Directive. A key aspect of ecosystem-based CSP is mapping the spatial distribution of pertinent pressures, and identifying Key Environmental Indicators (KEIs). This objective however, is difficult to achieve in data-poor regions leading to variable sources of uncertainty. Furthermore, a conceptual framework to homogenize spatially explicit data of relevant pressures is lacking. This study proposes a methodology for developing and integrating spatial pressure datasets in a Geographical Information Systems (GIS) environment. This methodology was applied to a case study location in the northern and southern coastal area of Heraklion Prefecture, in Crete (Greece). The pressure datasets, used, were developed from a synthesis of proxy and satellite data, including abrasion, chlorophyll-a, commercial fish catches, invasive species, light pollution, microplastics, noise pollution, ocean acidification and organic load. These nine Potential Environmental Indicators (PEIs) were subjected to Principal Component Analysis (PCA) in order to reduce the number of parameters, and identify their relationships. The shortlisted 7 KEIs were organic load, chlorophyll-a, microplastics, commercial fish catches, and noise pollution, indicating that this methodology can be of management relevance in the initial steps of CSP implementation, especially in data poor areas. The proposed spatial integration of disparate pressure datasets as part of the flowchart presented constitutes a compositional approach to the spatial illustration of pressures in a coastal area. The patterns of KEI connectivity and disturbance highlighted herein through statistical analysis, could provide a feasible, economic and less biased procedure leading to effective marine resource management, also allowing for a regional and European implementation.