Integrated Coastal Zone Management Research Articles

Coastal management and climate change on the island and the sea of Chiloé (Chile): An evaluation of policies, regulations, and instruments

The objective of the research described here was to examine the policies, regulations, and instruments that directly or indirectly affect the coastal zones of the island and the sea of Chiloé (CZISC) and to evaluate the adequacy of the current political-administrative system concerning climate change. For this purpose, the Decalogue for Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) has been used as a methodological basis. Likewise, all policies, regulations, and instruments that have an impact on coastal management in Chiloé have been identified and classified based on their adaptation to problems that result from climate change. The documents have been grouped into seven numerical categories (1−7) that range from tools that omit the discourse on climate change (1) to those that focus exclusively on this subject and provide detailed information on the required actions and provisions (7). The lowest level (1) of the classification is predominant in the policies, regulations, and instruments studied, especially those that deal with subnational planning. Based on the strategic diagnosis presented, it was concluded that the lack of a holistic approach and the absence of discourse on climate change observed in Chiloé prevent the transition towards an ICZM model capable of improving human welfare and protecting socio-ecological systems in the long term.

Coastal vulnerability assessment to multi hazards in the exposed coast of Southeastern Coastal Region of Bangladesh

Bangladesh is a maritime nation situated on the northern side of the Bay of Bengal (BoB), blessed with substantial natural resources and opportunities. However, natural disasters and climate-induced hazards are threatening these opportunities as well as destroying the recourses. Coastal vulnerability assessment aids in the prevention of loss of life and resource devastation since it provides forewarning of impending calamitous consequences and facilitates taking mitigative measures. The study has endeavored to make a composite coastal vulnerability index (CVI) for the exposed coast of the southeastern coastal region of Bangladesh, combining physical and social vulnerability indexes using several physical and social parameters. The CVI was developed by using nine physical parameters, namely (a) Coastal Elevation, (b) Coastal Slope, (c) Annual Average Rainfall, (d) Storm Surge Height, (e) Soil Salinity, (f) Average Wind Speed, (g) Rate of SLR, (h) Soil Permeability, (i) Mean Tidal Range and six social parameters namely (a) Literacy rate, (b) Household Structure, (c) Land Use Land Cover (LULC), (d) Population Density (e) Number of Disabled People and (f) Number of Population (Age: <5 & >65). With the aid of field and secondary data, thematic layers of each physical and social parameter were prepared by defining five distinct vulnerability classes (i.e., very high, high, moderate, low, and very low) and assigning vulnerability ranks. The final CVI was estimated using geospatial techniques such as GIS and remote sensing, coupled with Physical Vulnerability Index (PVI) and Social Vulnerability Index (SVI), and relevant values were categorized into five distinct groups as before. The findings show that 25.9% of the exposed coast in the southeast coastal region, which comprises Banshkhali, Chakaria, Maheshkhali, and Cox's Bazar Sadar is high to very high vulnerable to multiple hazards. Comparatively, 28.29% have been classified as moderately vulnerable, and the remaining 45.8% in the areas of Hathazari, Mirsharai, Sitakunda, Sandwip, and Chittagong City (Kotwali), Kutubdia show that they are very low to low vulnerable to such multi-hazards. Based on this vulnerability assessment result, sustainable coastal management policy-making and development planning can be taken to mitigate the risk and loss of the southeastern coastal region due to climatic hazards and natural disasters such as floods and storm surges. The outcome information will also help to make an Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) plan for the proper and sustainable utilization of the coastal resources. Additionally, it will assist as ground information to establish a framework for prioritizing community resilience-building initiatives or developing appropriate adaptation strategies to lower catastrophe risk.

Integrated coastal zone management in Colombia: 25 years of implementing an environmental planning policy

Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) emerged as a strategy ecosystem approach for management seas and coasts, responding to international agreements such as the Convention on Biological Diversity with the Jakarta Mandate and the Convention on Climate Change. Colombia, located in the northern part of South America with coasts on the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, has institutionally adopted the ICZM for 25 years, establishing definitions, procedures, and instruments. The purpose of this work is to analyse the implementation of the ICZM in Colombia, as well as to identify future actions, considering the lessons learned. A participatory diagnosis was carried out using the Delfi method and an analysis of ICZM progress indicators. It was found that the implementation of the policy has been carried out through applied scientific research in order to build the methodology known (COLMIZC), which has become a reference for Latin America and is widely discussed in comparison to regional advances. The ICZM process has made it possible to consolidate a public policy, giving it relevance within the environmental agenda and the country's development plans. However, the creation of other political instruments that have not been well articulated with environmental policy has led to uncoordinated actions. Colombia has advanced conceptually and methodologically in the configuration of a political and regulatory framework. It is important to strengthen capacities in institutions and communities to provide local interventions with national and global impact. It is a priority to coordinate with the territorial authorities and influence sectoral planning.

Diagnosis of the Integrated Coastal Zone Management of Costa Rica

Costa Rica is a nation with great diversity of coastal-marine ecosystems. It established a National Sea Policy made up of different principles that are integrated to achieve a iczm, which together with a legal framework seeks equitable use of coastal-marine resources. This policy promotes multidisciplinary actions for the management of natural, technical and financial resources. Its regulations have a legal framework that includes laws and agreements for adequate management of coastal zones. It has the participation of the minae, incopesca, the Ministry of Public Security, the ict, and the Attorney General’s Office of the Republic. Specialized postgraduate courses in coastal management are offered and seek a complete education from basic education. At the same time, training, information and citizen participation strategies are used. Keywords: Integrated coastal management; Coast zones; iczm Decalogue; Public politics; sustainable development; Natural resources.

Multi-decadal coastal change detection using remote sensing: the Mediterranean coast of Egypt between El-Dabaa and Ras El-Hekma

A key source of information for many decision support systems is identifying land use and land cover (LULC) based on remote sensing data. Land conservation, sustainable development, and water resource management all benefit from the knowledge obtained from detecting changes in land use and land cover. The present study aims to investigate the multi-decadal coastal change detection for Ras El-Hekma and El-Dabaa area along the Mediterranean coast of Egypt, a multi-sectoral development area. Besides, the superiority of the area is highly dependent on its proximity to three development projects: the tourism and urban growth pole at Ras El-Hekma, the beachfront Alamain New Mega City, and the Nuclear Power Plant at El Dabaa. This study utilized multi-spectral Landsat satellite images covering 1990, 2010, and 2020 to perceive the post-classification change detection analysis of the land use and land cover changes (LULCC) over 30 years. The results of the supervised classification from 1990 to 2020 showed a 47.33 km2 (4.13%) expansion of the agricultural land area, whereas the bare soil land area shrunk to 73.13 km2 (6.24%). On the other hand, the built-up activities in the area launched in 2010 and escalated to 20.51 km2(1.77%) in 2020. The change in land use reveals the shift in the economic growth pattern in the last decade toward tourism and urban development. Meanwhile, it indicates that no conflict has yet arisen regarding the land use between the expanded socioeconomic main sectors (i.e., agriculture, and tourism). Therefore, the best practices of land use management and active participation of the stakeholders and the local community should be enhanced to achieve sustainability and avoid future conflicts. An area-specific plan including resource conservation measures and the provision of livelihood alternatives should be formulated within the National Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) plan with the participation of the main stakeholders and beneficiaries. The findings of the present work may be considered useful for sustainable management and supportive to the decision-making process for the sustainable development of this area.

SWOT analysis of the integrated coastal zone management (ICZM) in Marchica Lagoon Ecosystem, Morocco

This study consists to conduct an environmental SWOT analysis to assess Marchica lagoon and its watershed within the framework of Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM). Recognized as a Ramsar site since 2005, the lagoon is located on the eastern Mediterranean coast of Morocco and offers a variety of ecosystem services. In response to substantial anthropogenic stress, the Moroccan government initiated a restoration plan since 2010 aimed at safeguarding these ecosystem services. Our analysis reveals that, despite restoration efforts, the lagoon is still adversely impacted by its watershed, including the discharge of wastewater, sometimes untreated. A significant environmental limitation identified is the inadequate integration of the “watershed-lagoon” spatial dimension in the lagoon’s management. Consequently, we recommend for the implementation of restoration measures upstream, especially in regions that exert influence on the lagoon. These actions are crucial to ensuring compliance with the spatial integration principles of the ICZM Protocol under the Barcelona Convention, promoting a more holistic and effective approach to ecosystem management.

Towards the Development of the Indonesia New Capital City

Sepaku is one of the sub-region in Penajam Paser Utara which is known as part of the Indonesia New Capital City (Ibu Kota Nusantara/IKN). It has three coastal villages including Mentawir, Pemaluan, and Maridan. In regards to the Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM), this research aims to identify the local potential and to point out the potential strategies. Under the ICZM, the local potential should take into account the criteria of communities or coastal expertise, coastal facilities, natural resources, and responsible stakeholders. In cooperation with the result of ICZM identification, the local potential is considered under the Strength, Weakness, Opportunities, and Threat (SWOT) Analysis. It is identified that Sepaku has local potential in the coastal area which substantial to the development of the new capital city. To conclude, this research suggests that Sepaku needs to have progressive strategies. It means that the priority strategy has to use its components of strength to mobilize the opportunities.

A Spatio-Temporal Analysis of Shoreline Changes in the Ilaje Coastal Area of Ondo State, Nigeria

Erosion presents a significant challenge to coastlines worldwide, and the Ilaje area in Nigeria’s Niger Delta is no different. Aggressive flooding along this shoreline has led to property damage, economic disruption, and a looming threat to the survival of riverine communities in the region. This study presents a comprehensive analysis of spatial and temporal changes in the Ilaje coastal area of Ondo state from 1986 to 2020. The analysis utilized the SCE, EPR, and LRR methods to examine shoreline changes. Additionally, spatial digitization was performed for Ayetoro, a highly susceptible coastal community, spanning from 2008 to 2023. The results indicate that approximately 86% of the coastline experienced erosion, while the remaining 14% underwent accretion. Notably, the western and central sections of the coastline emerged as the areas most vulnerable to erosion. Ayetoro, situated centrally, faces dire circumstances. The interplay of natural geomorphic processes and human activities played a role in driving these changes. Beyond the immediate physical alterations, erosion has reverberated through the local ecosystems, livelihoods, and infrastructure, posing risks to numerous communities. This study emphasizes the need for urgent actions through integrated coastal zone management (ICZM) strategies to promote coastal stability in the region. The results of the study further provide valuable insights into the need for coastal managers and planners to regularly assess the state of the coastline and proactively proffer suitable solutions to reduce rampant coastal degradation.

Dune belt restoration effectiveness assessed by UAV topographic surveys (northern Adriatic coast, Italy)

Abstract. Unoccupied aerial vehicle (UAV) monitoring surveys are used to assess a dune restoration project in the protected natural area of the Bevano River mouth on the northern Adriatic coast (Ravenna, Italy). The impacts of the installed fences to aid dune development are quantified in terms of sand volume and vegetation cover changes over 5 years using a systematic data processing workflow based on structure-from-motion (SfM) photogrammetry and the Geomorphic Change Detection (GCD) toolset applied to two drone surveys in 2016 and 2021. Accuracy assessment is performed using statistical analysis between ground-truth and model elevation data. Results show that the fence proves to be effective in promoting recovery and growth since significant sand deposition was observed along the dune foot and front – a total area of 3799 m2, volume of 1109 m3, and average depositional depth of 0.29 m. Progradation of around 3–5 m of the foredune and embryo development were also evident. There was a decrease in blowout features of about 155 m2 due to increased deposition and vegetation colonization. There was also an average percent increase of 160 % on wave-induced driftwood and/or debris along the beach and of 9.6 % vegetation within the fence based on the cover analysis on selected transects. Erosion of around 1439 m2 is apparent mostly at the northern portion of the structure, which could be accounted for by the aerodynamic and morphodynamic conditions around the fence and its configuration to trap sediments and efficiency in doing so. Overall, dune fencing coupled with limiting debris cleaning along the protected coast was effective. The proposed workflow can aid in creating transferable guidelines to stakeholders in integrated coastal zone management (ICZM) implementation on Mediterranean low-lying sandy coasts.

Environmental coastal research: a systematic review for Azores and Cabo Verde, two peripherical Macaronesian archipelagos

There is a strong link between humans and the coastal zone, as it provides important services and resources. This paper aims to determine the existing environmental coastal research status in the Azores and Cabo Verde since research is essential for any decision support system. Some tools are fundamental to ensure the viability of the marine environments, such as Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM), Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), and Marine Spatial Planning (MSP), which rely on existing knowledge. Effective implementation of marine plans can increase by developing a multi-perspective knowledge approach. This paper presents a systematic review of the archipelagos of the Azores and Cabo Verde through a comparative meta-analysis of the literature based on the PRISMA report to better understand the focus and status of research related to coastal zones, within and outside MPAs, along with marine spatial planning and management in the two socio-economic contexts. This will help to identify common issues, trends over the years, successes, and challenges, highlighting the specific interests of each country, identifying the knowledge gaps, promoting mutual learning, and pointing out possible paths for future convergence toward sustainable use of the ecosystems and conservation goals. Differences were found between the research made in both archipelagos, lacking research on important disciplines (reproduction, behavior, population dynamics, climate change, etc.), in Cabo Verde, compared to the Azores. This study also reveals that some research fields still need to be pushed forward to have broader knowledge in both areas.

The Kandinsky building in Chile: A case study demonstrating extreme urbanization pressure on coastal ecosystems

This discussion addresses the urgent issue of coastal urbanization in Chile, particularly focusing on the degradation of dune systems due to accelerated urban development and inadequate management frameworks. Using the Kandinsky Building collapse as a case study, this paper elucidates the vulnerabilities associated with extreme coastal urbanization and the absence of robust legislation. The research calls for the immediate implementation of Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) and Territorial Planning as pivotal tools for effective coastal governance in Chile. Both these mechanisms, when grounded in science, can provide sustainable solutions that balance current land-use demands with future ecological needs. We emphasize the necessity of scientifically informed setback lines, Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs), public education, and fiscal instruments to mitigate the challenges posed by extreme coastal urbanization. A Chile-specific ICZM plan, incorporating scientific research into policy formulation and execution, is imperative for evidence-based, adaptive, and sustainable decision-making.

Diagnosis of the coastal management model in Chile: The island and the sea of Chiloé governance

The aim of the study described here was to gain a better understanding of the cause of problems in southern Chile by critically analyzing the governance of the coastal areas of the island and the sea of Chiloé. Chiloé is the main island of the homonymous archipelago located in southern Chilean Patagonia. A strategic diagnosis was carried out by studying the ten subdivisions of the political-administrative system that compose the Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) Decalogue. The results demonstrate that conflicts in Chiloé follow a strongly centralized state model, which tends to prioritize economic development over the socio-ecological and cultural complexity of the coast and disregarding climate change effects and the relationship between ecosystem services and human well-being. In the last five years, some advances have been made in the constitutional process and decentralization objectives, suggesting an improvement in Chiloe’s coastal management.

Research on integrated coastal zone management from past to the future: a bibliometric analysis

Integrated coastal zone management (ICZM) has been regarded as an effective tool for achieving sustainable development of coastal ecosystems and reducing potential human health risks, but questions remain regarding its research status and future directions. Therefore, a bibliometric analysis was conducted using screened 6151 publications collected from Web of Science Core Collection databases. An exponential increase trend of publications revealed the continuous and strong research interests for ICZM worldwide. The most high-yield country, institution, category, and journal were USA, NOAA, Environmental Sciences, and Ocean &amp;amp; Coastal Management, respectively. Regarding the number of publications, academic influence, and international collaboration, the developed countries occupied the predominant positions. Co-word analysis reveals eight important topics: challenge, service, management and planning, method and technology, development, process, area, and system. Relevant future directions of the ICZM field were proposed based on the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations. This review addresses the question of what focal topics in the ICZM field and what should be focused on in future works by objective and quantitative methods. Our results provide valuable insights into the evolution of the ICZM field and the sustainable development of the coastal areas.

Impact of Spatial Segmentation on the Assessment of Coastal Vulnerability—Insights and Practical Recommendations

Coastal areas are dynamic multidimensional systems challenged by the complex interactions between natural, environmental, and human-induced pressures, as well as the ever-changing climate. A comprehensive evaluation of their spatial and temporal features enables the development of effective practices required to apply integrated coastal zone management (ICZM) policies. ICZM seeks to address the vulnerability of coastal areas in an attempt to mitigate their weaknesses and increase their resilience. Hence, coastal vulnerability assessment is a prerequisite to proceed with optimal adaptation or upgrading actions. Currently, assessments are performed by considering different approaches related to dividing coastal areas into segments to observe the spatial variations of vulnerability. The present research seeks to investigate the impact of the spatial segmentation of coastal areas on the assessment of their vulnerability. To achieve this, a case study of the coastal zone of the Municipality of Thebes, located in the Northeastern Corinthian Gulf, Greece, is examined. Five segmentation approaches are applied in terms of a physical-based vulnerability assessment for two different time horizons, (a) the present and (b) the future, by incorporating the climate change impacts. This study allows for optimizing practices to estimate vulnerability parameters and obtain reliable results for practical applications while reducing time-consuming analyses.

Estimation of the Coastal Vulnerability Index Using Multi-Criteria Decision Making: The Coastal Social–Ecological System of Rachgoun, Western Algeria

This research deals with spatial vulnerability in the coastal area of Rachgoun (Algeria), on the southern shore of the Mediterranean Sea. Over the past two decades, the coastal area of Rachgoun has been suffering from a large amount of pressure due to accelerated socioeconomic development, urbanization, tourism, fishing, and agriculture. The main objective of this study is to visualize the coastal vulnerability of Rachgoun using multi-criteria decision making (MCDM). A multidisciplinary approach that integrates geological, physical, and socioeconomic vulnerability was adopted. The selected parameters for the study include lithology, elevation, slope, shoreline change, significant wave height, population density, tourist density, land use/land cover (LULC), road network density, proximity to coast, distance from river, people’s awareness, and designated conservation areas and cultural heritage. Data from AlSat-2 Satellite imagery, aerial photography, topographic maps, and field surveys were processed. Spatial modeling was conducted through the MCDM approach and geographic information systems (GIS) to develop two sub-indices: the natural vulnerability index (CVIN) and the socioeconomic vulnerability index (CVIS). The combination of the two sub-indices allowed us to deduce the integrated coastal vulnerability index (ICVI). The outcomes present a coastal vulnerability map with a spatial resolution of 10 m of the identified problematic area. This map can guide decision-makers in implementing an effective integrated coastal zone management (ICZM) strategy.

How to Solve the Gap between Science and Policy in the Coastal Management of Mediterranean Countries

The gap between Science and Policy is one of the main problems affecting the implementation of a sound coastal zone management in Mediterranean countries. Really, littoral and marine ecosystems supply a lot of environmental services, that are actually exposed to many natural and anthropic risks, influencing the ecological status of coastal areas. So, in the Mediterranean basin, it has been introduced on 2002 a participatory process named Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) to address scientific and political efforts towards a right marine policy. To highlight the lacking connection between the scientific approach to coastal management and the current inertia of policy actors, it has been presented a typical case study tested in a marine protected area located on the western seaside of the Calabria region (Southern Italy). The innovative framework proposed by this paper highlights the fundamental role of widespread public knowledge to bridge the gaps, still existing, between Science and Policy. By this way, it is suggested a new conceptual pattern able to connect the two cornerstones of ICZM program through mutual interactions mediated by knowledge processes. So, it is hoped for an adaptive co-management of coastal zones based on a close collaboration between scientists, policy makers, stakeholders and public opinion into a socio-ecological “governance” of coastal regions. Finally, it is necessary to involve all private and public subjects to develop a continuous dialogue for an effective ICZM implementation in Mediterranean countries.

Common characteristics of successful water quality improvement through point source pollution management

Ocean pollution from land-based sources, such as terrestrial runoff and wastewater discharge, has significant environmental, social and economic repercussions. Despite the importance of good water quality for coastal ecosystem health, there is limited information about the key management characteristics present in places where there has been successful water quality management and subsequent improvement in marine ecosystem health. In this study, we evaluated several well-known successful examples of point source pollution management that achieved a notable improvement in water quality and coastal and marine ecosystems recovery, using principles of effective management collated from several existing theoretical Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) frameworks. Principles related to strong legislation, nested level of governance, stakeholder engagement and coordination among involved entities were determined as key factors to achieve water quality improvement. Understanding consistent themes present in successful management of water quality enhances our ability to better design management strategies that protect marine ecosystems, biodiversity, and human well-being. • Success in marine water quality improvement is scarce. • Six large-scale water quality management have succeeded, measured by improvements in coastal and marine biodiversity. • Strong legislation in place and nested levels of governance were present in all water quality management projects. • Stakeholder engagement and participation in water quality management plan was also a prevalent theme. • The common themes across successful case studies can inform new and ongoing water quality management initiatives.

Geoinformatics application for estimating and forecasting of periodic shoreline changes in the east coast of Ampara District, Sri Lanka

The shoreline has dynamic characteristics since it experiences several coastal processes resulting in progradation and retrogradation. The shoreline is a sensitive environment where human activities interact with the natural environment. Therefore, this study examines the spatiotemporal shoreline dynamics in the east coast of Ampara District, Sri Lanka, for the periods of 1991, 2001, 2011, and 2021. It also aims to forecast the state of 2031 and 2041 coastlines to show the intensity of shoreline changes due to erosion and accretion in the study area. The shoreline of each year was delineated using the Google Earth Pro images having freed the geometric errors. To validate the position of the shoreline, 50 random ground truth points were pinpointed with the GPS tool based on the natural and human-made permanent aspects. The extracted shorelines were inserted to the DSAS (Digital Shoreline Analysis System) tool, customized in ArcGIS 10.3. The statistical methods, such as Net Shoreline Movement (NSM), End Point Rate (EPR), and Linear Regression Rate (LRR) (R2 = 0.986) were computed to show the intensity of the shoreline changes. The Kalman filter model was used to predict the future trend of shoreline movement in the study area. The highest and lowest NSM rate was calculated as −300.3 m/year to −171.4 m/year in the Oluvil area and 224.1–395 m/year in the port and closest point of the port in the southward direction respectively. EPR was recorded as 8 m/year to 13.4 m/year southward of the port and in −10.2 m/year to −5.6 m/year northward of the port. The LRR was computed northward of the port where the erosion is anomalous at a rate of −5.6 m/year to −9.2 m/year and the beach advances at a rate of 19.01 m/year, whereas the accumulation was recorded as 8.9 m/year to 15.9 m/year. In 2031, the erosion would be approximately 61.4 ha meanwhile the accretion would be 33.4 ha. In 2041, at the study area the approximate erosion would be 81.7 ha whereas the accretion would be 44.9 ha. According to the forecast, in the next two decades, the erosion and accretion rate would be anomalous unless protective measures are implemented. Therefore, it is crucial to protect the coastal habitats in Ampara with the integrated coastal zone management (ICZM) process in order to mitigate the climatic and/or anthropogenic vulnerabilities.

Assessment of the effects of integrated coastal zone management based on synthetic control method

As a policy tool to promote sustainable development of coastal zone cities, Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) was introduced to China for experimentation in the 1990s. Among them, the Xiamen government took ICZM as an opportunity to conduct a large number of policy pilots, making the evaluation of the policy effects worth studying. This paper takes Xiamen city as the research object based on 180,000 samples from 188 Chinese municipalities from 1980-2017. Based on the theoretical framework of the Social-Economic-Natural Complex Ecosystem (SENCE), we use the synthetic control method (SCM) to conduct its two rounds of policy pilots. The study found that the first round of experiments focused on environmental pollution prevention and control, and the economic development gap between Xiamen and similar coastal zone cities was narrowed despite the economic lag effect. Finally, based on robustness tests, policy recommendations are made for coastal zone cities.

Assessing effectiveness of satoumi activities in Japanese coastal areas from ecological and socioeconomic perspectives

Satoumi has long been practiced in Japan and is recently being promoted in pursuit of sustainable integrated coastal zone management (ICZM) and biodiversity conservation. Satoumi is considered as “a sea where high productivity and conservation of biological diversity are achieved through human intervention in harmony with natural ecosystems.” In this study, four satoumi cases were selected, Shiretoko, Ago Bay, Hinase, and Nanao Bay, in order to assess their effectiveness in coastal management, biodiversity conservation, and socioeconomic impacts. In all four cases, positive changes in local coastal ecosystems were found, including an increase in local biodiversity, improvement in water quality, and restoration of ecosystems. There were also significant socioeconomic outcomes such as involvement of wider stakeholders, mainstreaming of biodiversity, and promotion of local products and tourism. Also, by comparing the four cases, some key characteristics of satoumi that contribute to management effectiveness were identified. These are setting clear targets, leadership by key persons, and the driving force of important stakeholders such as fishers and local businesses, who have a profound and historical stake in coastal management.