Coastal Management Program Research Articles

Managing Climate Risks and Adaptation in Coastal Communities: How to Provide Information

In recent years, climate adaptation has gained significant attention from policymakers and public managers. In the U.S., states play a crucial role in developing coastal management policies, initiatives, and programs to reduce climate risks and enhance protection against extreme weather. Despite various approaches, few studies have examined information provision tools for coastal hazard mitigation and climate adaptation. As a result, there is limited knowledge about effective adaptation tools with low transaction costs. Using the StormSmart Coasts program as a case study, this research explores information-based climate adaptation and the components needed for a successful information-sharing platform. Established by the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management in 2008, StormSmart Coasts is a web-based program offering practical information for hazard mitigation to local decision-makers and communities. The study identifies three key features of an effective tool: providing tailored information to different stakeholders, serving as an outreach tool, and connecting with diverse stakeholders, including local managers and homeowners. The findings suggest that a well-designed information-sharing tool can enhance adaptive capacity and improve climate change preparedness in coastal communities.

Spatiotemporal variation in phenology of the invasive brown macroalga Sargassum muticum (Yendo) Fensholt and the environmental parameters relationships along four different sites on the Atlantic coast of Morocco

The alien brown seaweed Sargassum muticum (Yendo) Fensholt is currently observed along the coasts of Morocco. The present study aimed to evaluate the impact of physicochemical parameters on the distribution of S. muticum at four sites on the Atlantic coast of Morocco harvested between 2019 and 2020. This study showed that the highest biomass, thalli length, and fertility values were recorded in sampling sites characterized by optimal physicochemical (temperature, pH, and salinity) and nutrient H₃PO₄ during summer. The highest biomass values were recorded in August for Sidi Bouzid and Moulay Abdellah sites, conversely, in Saada and Jorf Lasfar sites the highest values were observed in February and March respectively. The thallus length was slightly larger in Moulay Abdellah site with 77.30 ± 14.09 cm compared with the three other sites during the summer/spring periods. Minimum thalli length was recorded in September for all studied sites. The thalli of S. muticum were fertile earlier in Sidi Bouzid and Saada during spring and peaked during the summer season for all studied sites showing a positive correlation with increasing temperature.Finally, the collected data shows that indeed physicochemical parameters influence bioecological parameters. Thus, contributed to a better understanding of the temporal variation of S. muticum phenology on the Moroccan Atlantic coast, these data provide the necessary information for coastal marine management and biomonitoring program as well as sustainable utilization of this renewable marine resource.

Analysis of Integrated Coastal Management (ICM) of Honduras

Honduras is a country that has a coastal zone with many marine resources, however, the lack of mechanisms for integrated coastal management (icm) programs have slowed down the conservation and development of the resources found there, the object of this study was to carry out an analysis and collect information about the different policies and instruments that provide the basis for formulating integrated coastal management in Honduras. Keywords: Integrated coastal management (icm), coastal policies, coastal conservation, development of the coastal zone.

Analysis of the Coastal Zone from Brazil

Brazil is one of the main countries that has adapted Integrated Coastal Management Programs and Plans (mci) with the aim of creating a sustainable coastal State. In this way, it has coordination, integration and proposal of policies for Integrated Coastal Management within the scope of the Interministerial Commission for Sea Resources (cirm). The objective of this article is to investigate and analyze the situation of the Brazilian mci in terms of its public policies, regulations, competencies, institutions, instruments, training, profitable characteristics, knowledge and information, education for sustainability and the participation of those involved. Keywords: Integrated coastal management, policies, sustainable development, coastal zone, environmental impact.

Analysis of Integrated Coastal Management (ICM) of El Salvador

The Republic of El Salvador has a small marine coastal zone that is deteriorated by uncontrolled anthropogenic activities; the implementation of an integrated coastal management program (ICM) is necessary to mitigate the damage caused to marine zones and the performance of coastal governance to provide sustainable development. The purpose of this study is collect information on policies, laws and instruments that focus on the conservation and development of the coastal marine areas of El Salvador. Keywords: Integrated Coastal Management (icm), coastal policies, coastal conservation, development of the coastal zone, El Salvador.

Insights on trace metal enrichments in tourists beaches of Santa Elena Province, Ecuador

Metal concentrations in beaches of major coastal cities is directly identified based on the enrichment pattern of bioavailable metals in sediments. The main objective of the study is to know the present level of metal enrichments in beach sediments of Santa Elena Province in Ecuador. Sediment beach quality was assessed in five tourist beach zones (n = 52) by analyzing the bioavailable trace metal concentration. Distribution pattern of trace metals indicates Cd, Co, Pb is on higher side exceeding the UCC. Geochemical indices calculations (Geoaccumulation index, Enrichment factor, Degree of contamination) and ecological risk indices (Hazard quotient, potential risk index, pollution load index) indicates that Cd has the high degree of enrichment level (Cd ≥ 32) followed by Co, Pb and As posing adverse ecological risk (RI > 600). Sediment quality assessment results reveals that the sediments were very unsafe in nature with a probability level of 11–21% being toxic. Statistical correlation suggests that carbonates vs Cu, Ni, Co, Pb, Cd (r2 = 0.51–0.98) were the main controlling factor for the metal behavior in sediments. Overall results reveals that the toxic elements were derived locally accompanied by anthropogenic influences enriching the geochemical elements affecting the beach quality in the Santa Elena coast region and for future coastal management programs.

Pollution Loads of the Cipanyairan and Cipalabuan Rivers: Part of the Sukabumi Regency ICM’s Coastal Pollution Management Programs

The first step in the management of coastal pollution in the coastal area of Sukabumi Regency is the assessment of the pollution status of the two rivers, namely the Cipalabuan River and the Cipanyairan River, which is part of the integrated coastal management programme of Sukabumi Regency. Based on calculation of 35 water quality parameters shows that Cipanyairan River was considered heavily polluted with pollution index (PI) more than 10, characterized by low pH, low dissolved oxygen (DO), and high BOD, COD, TP, NO2, Cd, Pb, Mn, Cl2, total coliform, and fecal coliform. Meanwhile, water quality in Cipalabuhan River was better than Cipanyairan River, stated as moderately polluted with PI between 5 to 10, characterized by COD, Total Phosphorus, Co, Cd, and Pb. The higher water discharge in Cipalabuhan compared to Cipanyairan may had been the factor causing the better water quality in Cipalabuhan River. High concentration of Total P shows that human daily activities such as laundry and domestic wastes. Calculation on pollution load capacity shows that Cipanyairan has been shown for its higher value compared to that of Cipalabuhan, i.e for BOD5, the pollution load in Cipanyairan and Cipalabuhan are -102.64 kg/day and 2.74 kg/day, respectively.

Olivine avoidance behaviour by marine gastropods (Littorina littorea L.) and amphipods (Gammarus locusta L.) within the context of ocean alkalinity enhancement

Gigaton scale atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) removal (CDR) is needed to keep global warming below 1.5 °C. Coastal enhanced olivine weathering is a CDR technique that could be implemented in coastal management programmes, but its CO2 sequestration potential and environmental safety remain uncertain. Large scale olivine spreading would change the surficial sediment characteristics, which could potentially reduce habitat suitability and ultimately result in community composition changes. To test this hypothesis, we investigated the avoidance response of the marine gastropod Littorina littorea (Linnaeus, 1758) and marine amphipod Gammarus locusta (Linnaeus, 1758) to relatively coarse (83 – 332 µm) olivine and olivine-sediment mixtures during short-term choice experiments. Pure olivine was significantly avoided by both species, while no significant avoidance was observed for sediment with 3% or 30% w/w olivine. For L. littorea, aversion of the light green colour of pure olivine (i.e. positive scototaxis) was the main reason for avoidance. Moreover, olivine was not significantly avoided when it was 7.5 cm (45%) closer to a food source/darker microhabitat (Ulva sp.) compared to natural sediment. It is inferred that the amphipod G. locusta avoided pure olivine to reduce Ni and Cr exposure. Yet, a significant increase in whole body Ni concentrations was observed after 79 h of exposure in the 30% and 100% w/w olivine treatments compared to the sediment control, likely as a result of waterborne Ni uptake. Overall, our results are significant for ecological risk assessment of coastal enhanced olivine weathering as they show that L. littorea and G. locusta will not avoid sediments with up to 30% w/w relatively coarse olivine added and that the degree of olivine avoidance is dependent on local environmental factors (e.g. food or shelter availability).

Planning and design of three USACE New York District projects

The United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) New York District (NYD) has had a tremendous impact on an approximately $6 billion comprehensive coastal storm risk management program in the last 10 years since Hurricane Sandy caused significant damage in the New York (NY) and New Jersey (NJ) area. There was 2013- 2014 emergency repair and restoration to existing beach nourishment and navigation projects, but also USACE NYD accomplished the planning and design for multiple coastal storm risk management projects in the NY and NJ area. Of those projects, specific coastal risk reduction features are described for the Sea Bright to Manasquan, NJ; East Rockaway Inlet to Rockaway Inlet, NY; and Montauk Point Lighthouse Stabilization, NY. The planning and design for these projects exemplifies resilience principles and planned adaptability to withstand the challenges of the dynamic coastal environment. The USACE NYD is faced with numerous challenges such as environmental restrictions, politics, real estate, sea level change, etc.; the magnitude of coastal planning, design and construction that has occurred over these past 10 years for the NYD studies and projects demonstrates the fortitude of collaboration combined with current and innovative engineering principles.

The Coastal Zone Management Act in Its Sixth Decade: An Unsung Cornerstone in the Nation’s Response to Climate and Ocean Change, Part II

This essay concludes the examination of the CZMA entitled “The Coastal Zone Management Act in Its Sixth Decade: An Unsung Cornerstone in the Nation’s Response to Climate and Ocean Change” begun in the July issue of this journal. The July installment placed the CZMA in the political context of its origins, reviewed today’s political and legal constraints on environmental laws, and introduced CZMA Section 309 which authorizes grants to states and territories with federally approved Coastal Management Programs (CMPs) to enhance those programs over the coming 5 years to meet specified objectives. The first installment concluded that Section 309 and its explicit reference to climate related impacts provided an important legal framework to address these challenging coastal phenomena. This second installment further deepens the analysis by closely examining 12 state 5-year strategies with particular attention to coastal hazards, including sea level rise and approaches to the challenge of managed retreat. The review reenforces the essay’s conclusion that the CZMA’s Section 309 program provides a well focused weapon in the nation’s arsenal to respond to climate and ocean change and its coastal impacts.

PROBABILISTIC APPROACHES FOR ASSESSING EROSION HAZARD ALONG NEW SOUTH WALES MID NORTH COAST

A probabilistic shoreline hazard assessment has been undertaken for the Clarence Valley coastline on the Mid North Coast of New South Wales. The assessment was unique in its size and scope, implementing a detailed probabilistic methodology that spanned 70km of varying coastline, including a range of open coasts, embayed beaches, multiple headlands, river training walls, sand sources and sinks. It was designed to meet the requirements of the NSW Management Manual, for inclusion within an updated Coastal Management Program.

The Sector Analysis as a Coastal Management Tool for Sustainable Tourism Development on the Mediterranean Coast of Morocco

Beaches are ecologically valuable ecosystems and sites that attract many tourists from all over the world, therefore, knowledge of their environmental conditions to establish sound management strategies is of extreme relevance. This study aims to assess and classify 50 beaches through an innovative coastal management approach called “Sector Analysis”, which integrates Litter grading, the coastal scenic quality and beach typology in order to classify sites into one of three sectors: Green (high value sites), Red (low value sites) and Yellow (sites with contradictory values). Litter Grade makes it possible to classify a site according to the quantity of litter using four grades from “A” (low) to “D” (high amount). The Coastal Scenic Evaluation System (CSES) allows to classify sites into five classes, ranging from extremely attractive natural sites (Class I) to unattractive degraded and urbanized sites (Class V). This innovative methodology for sustainable coastal area management can be easily applied to any beach in the world. The results on Litter Grade and CSES considered in this paper were obtained from previous studies and used to obtain the Sector Analysis that showed only 8 sites (16%) are in the Green sector, 18 sites (36%) in the Red sector and 24 sites (48%) in the Yellow sector. The significant percentage of sites in the Red sector (one third of the sites studied) clearly indicates the degradation that the Moroccan Mediterranean coast has undergone due to considerable anthropogenic activities and the lack of adequate coastal management programs. In this study, various management interventions were proposed to conserve and improve the aesthetic quality of beaches and reduce the impact and presence of litter in the coastal areas.

The Coastal Zone Management Act in Its Sixth Decade: An Unsung Cornerstone in the Nation’s Response to Climate and Ocean Change

In 2022, the CZMA turned 50, joining other statutes from what has become known as the Environmental Decade in reaching this milestone. This essay, which the Journal presents in two issues, examines the Act’s role in addressing our coast’s most critical challenge—climate change. In the first issue and installment the essay briefly reviews the social and political context in which the Act emerged, lessons learned from other statutes’ 50th anniversary, and the CZMA’s 40th anniversary. The first installment then reviews the CZMA’s Section 309 program. This program encourages each participating state and territory to develop a 5-year strategy to enhance its Coastal Management Program (CMP) to address statutorily identified objectives, one of which most closely pertains to climate related impacts. The essay’s first installment concludes that the CZMA is singularly well positioned at a time when it is vitally needed, the prospect of new legislation is dim, and the current Supreme Court is methodically dismantling the environmental administrative state. The second installment reviews several individual 309 Strategies for 2021–2025 to illustrate how states and territories are using the CZMA to respond in the near term to climate change related impacts.

Prospects and challenges of environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding in mangrove restoration in Southeast Asia

Species detection using environmental DNA (eDNA) is a biomonitoring tool that can be widely applied to mangrove restoration and management. Compared to traditional surveys that are taxa-specific and time-consuming, eDNA metabarcoding offers a rapid, non-invasive and cost-efficient method for monitoring mangrove biodiversity and characterising the spatio-temporal distribution of multiple taxa simultaneously. General guidelines for eDNA metabarcoding are well-established for aquatic systems, but habitat-specific guidelines are still lacking. Mangrove habitats, as priority ecosystems for restoration in Southeast Asia, present unique prospects and challenges in these regards. Environmental DNA metabarcoding can be used to (1) track functional recovery in ecological restoration, (2) prioritise conservation areas, (3) provide early warning for threats, (4) monitor threatened taxa, (5) monitor response to climate change, and (6) support community-based restoration. However, these potential applications have yet been realized in Southeast Asia due to (1) technical challenges, (2) lack of standardised methods, (3) spatio-temporal difficulties in defining community, (4) data limitations, and (5) lack of funding, infrastructure and technical capacity. Successful implementation of eDNA metabarcoding in mangrove restoration activities would encourage the development of data-driven coastal management and equitable conservation programs. Eventually, this would promote Southeast Asia’s shared regional interests in food security, coastal defence and biodiversity conservation.

Hazard mapping based on observed coastal erosion rates and definition of set-back lines to support coastal management plans in the north coast of Portugal

Coastal zone management plans need to consider scenarios of coastline evolution and associated uncertainties. In this paper, the main causes of shoreline retreat and coastal erosion (natural and anthropogenic) in the north coast of Portugal are discussed. The importance of increasing knowledge on coastal dynamics to improve long-term predictions of coastline changes is highlighted since it is essential to establish proper management tools. It is also shown that the Portuguese coastal ecosystems are not resilient enough to extreme events and that the Portuguese coastal zone, like very many others worldwide, and will be severely affected by the effects of climate change. It is concluded that extreme events need to be properly characterized and their impacts assessed since they have important implications in terms of uses of either the coastal zone or the coastal waters. Without that analysis, coastal management plans will be lacking technical and scientific information and data that could help decision-makers define the best strategies to control erosion levels and the impact of extreme events related to climate change effects. Finally, a detailed assessment of the coastline evolution was performed for the new Caminha-Espinho coastal management program, for the time horizons 2050 and 2100, based on historical data. The methodology used for the evaluation of the rates of shoreline change, hazard mapping and definition of set-back lines is presented. Selected examples are given to demonstrate the potential of this methodology in supporting the development of coastal zone management plans, but also to highlight the limitations and uncertainties linked to the complexity of the phenomena under analysis.

Evaluasi Kebijakan Pengelolaan Wilayah Pesisir Berbasis Pembangunan Berkelanjutan di Pantai Ngliyep Kabupaten Malang (Studi pada Dinas Pariwisata dan Kebudayaan Kabupaten Malang)

This paper aims to determine the results of the policy evaluation of the coastal area management program based on sustainable development in Ngliyep Beach Kedungsalam Village Malang East Java Indonesia. This study used a case study design and it was conducted at the Department of Tourism and Culture of Malang Regency to find out the implementation of the program whether they were at the right target of the coastal communities in Ngliyep Beach. The results of this study indicate that related parties actively participate in developing coastal areas in Malang Regency. The Head of Ngliyep Beach Management keeps trying to maximize tourism promotion through various media. The Ngliyep Beach tourism can highly increase the economic activity of the people in this village including providing employment opportunities and preserving the culture and traditions of the local community.

Sediment dynamics at different timescales on an embayed coast in southeastern Australia

The concept of coastal sediment compartments has recently been adopted at a national scale in Australia to better understand sediment and shoreline dynamics and to underpin management of future shoreline behaviour in response to impacts of climate change. Geomorphological studies in southern NSW have provided a foundation for development of conceptual models of estuary and sandy barrier evolution. Geochronological reconstructions using radiocarbon, optically-stimulated luminescence, and other dating techniques, reviewed in this paper, demonstrate that adjacent compartments are at successive stages. Three compartments, Illawarra, Shoalhaven and Moruya, are compared, each with different catchment characteristics and different levels of human intervention. Landform change and sediment accumulation at millennial timescales enable estimates of past sediment accretion (vertical accumulation) and horizontal displacement of shorelines (particularly progradation), as a first step towards quantifying volumetric changes of morphology. Lake Illawarra is a barrier estuary at an early stage of infill, but land-use change, urbanisation, and engineering structures at the entrance have accelerated rates of sediment accumulation. The Shoalhaven River has infilled its estuary and delivers sand to the coast. It has been subject to several conspicuous anthropogenic interventions. At Moruya, ongoing supply of sand, primarily from offshore rather than from the catchment, has resulted in beach-ridge plains (strandplains) with changes in their alongshore inter-connectivity driven by differential embayment infilling. Millennial-scale geomorphology indicates landform change providing a means to determine natural trajectories of sediment transfer. However, variability is apparent at century and decadal timescales, compounded by various anthropogenic interventions. Disentangling natural and anthropogenic influences will be necessary to provide greater confidence in estimating past and present sediment budgets. Assessing sand sources and transport rates is important in relation to engineering interventions at entrances, and long-term resilience of coastal habitats. Such issues are the focus of coastal management programs, and this synthesis emphasises the relevance of a sediment budget approach to understand contemporary sediment pathways and provide an indication of future response to engineering interventions and sensitivity to climate change.

Beach beauty in Bengal: Perception of scenery and its implications for coastal management in Purba Medinipur district, eastern India

Human activities can affect the revenue-generating potential of coastal landscapes through the loss of intrinsic properties like scenery. Yet, scenic assessments are often excluded from coastal management programmes in many countries. The recent modifications made to India’s Coastal Zone Regulations warrant such assessments urgently, as escalating anthropogenic activities in previously restricted zones can degrade coastal ecosystems. Using the Coastal Scenic Evaluation System (CSES), this paper assesses the scenery of six beaches in Purba Medinipur district of West Bengal in eastern India. The CSES uses fuzzy logic to analyze users’ perceptions of 26 attributes regarding the physical and human environments of beaches and categorizes them into five classes of increasing scenic depletion. Results obtained suggest that the studied beaches have very degraded scenic quality, with one each in classes III and IV and four in class V. The causative factors include rapid degeneration of a subdued physical environment by tremendous proliferation of coastal tourism along with its concomitant changes and poorly implemented management policies. Reducing direct interventions on beaches, undertaking dune restoration, controlling coastal erosion through emerging approaches, improving litter management, modifying the built environment where necessary, raising public awareness about the issue and greater public participation in the management process can ameliorate the situation. A Coastal Scenery Management Plan, incorporating all these aspects, must be included in the state’s Integrated Coastal Zone Management Programme. Undertaking such measures and implementing them stringently, coupled with regular follow-up assessments, might improve the scenic conditions of the beaches of Purba Medinipur in the future.

Initial insights into the development and implementation of a citizen-science drone-based coastal change monitoring program in the Great Lakes region

High-resolution spatio-temporal data are needed to improve coastal management programs, particularly along the Great Lakes where lake level fluctuations pose challenges to coastal decision-making and planning. Unfortunately, there is a paucity of coastal change monitoring datasets, particularly those that document event-scale changes over a large spatial scale. This paucity of data is compounded by the large size and range of shore types throughout the region.Unoccupied aerial vehicle (UAV) or drone data collected by citizen scientists are a potential solution to this challenge. However, no citizen science coastal change monitoring program exists in the Great Lakes region, nor does a comprehensive drone-based coastal change monitoring programs exist anywhere in the United States. To inform the development of drone-based citizen science programs, the goal of this paper is to describe the development and implementation of a citizen science coastal change monitoring program along the Great Lakes shores of Michigan. The citizens participating in this project generate imagery in two ways: (1) the submission of photos of coastal changes or hazards via a web app developed for the project called PicShores and (2) drone collection of survey-quality aerial imagery for use in the generation of orthomosaic images and digital elevation models (DEMs). This paper presents the methods utilized to develop the citizen science monitoring program, some initial findings from the citizen science monitoring, and explores some challenges and next steps for the program.

Engaging multi-stakeholders’ strategy toward strengthened mangrove rehabilitation program in Tangerang Regency

The Tangerang’s coastal area faces (1) decreasing environmental quality, and (2) poverty. The government developed Gerbang Mapan Program, an integrated coastal management (ICM) program designed to accelerate the recovery of coastal ecosystems and community development. To encourage the acceleration of the program, the government invites various parties (multistakeholders) to be involved in the program. This study aims to explore the processes of involving multistakeholders in the success of the mangrove rehabilitation, which has now succeeded transforms from damage to be good and have even become centers of community socio-economic activities. The method is an explorative method with a coevolutive dynamic historical process approach from 2014 to 2020. The involvement of various parties i.e local government agencies/institutions in Tangerang Regency, the private sector, TNI/Polri, schools, universities, and coastal community groups in mangrove rehabilitation programs and awareness campaigns and public education have encouraged the acceleration of mangrove rehabilitation, where by 2020, rehabilitation has been carried out with planted 720,000 mangrove trees, with six species (Rhizophora sp, Avicennia sp, Bruguiera cylindrica, Bruguiera gymnoriza, Ceriop tagal and Sonneratia alba), where the survival rate reached 69.22%, with the most adaptive type Avicennia sp planted in Tangerang Regency with a survival rate of 90.71%.