Marine Space Research Articles

Analysis of the Implementation of Marine Spatial Plans

The increasing pressure on marine ecosystems by various economic, social, and ecological activities has led to conflicts and a decline in the ecosystem's ability to provide marine goods. Marine spatial planning has become necessary for the coastal states to establish a more rational organization of marine space that integrates economic exploitation, social benefits, and marine environment protection. The beginnings of marine spatial planning date back to the 1970s, with successful initiatives in countries such as Australia, Ireland, Norway, the United Kingdom, Spain, and Portugal. In southern Europe, initiatives like SHAPE in the Adriatic Sea discuss maritime boundaries and national jurisdictions, whereas in northern and central Europe, licensing requirements for wind energy and other marine activities play a significant role. Conflicts with maritime traffic, fisheries, and protected areas have prompted the initiation of marine spatial planning in Belgium and Germany. The multidisciplinary nature of marine spatial planning allows for the sustainable use of marine resources and the reduction of negative impacts on the environment. Conflicts can be minimized by considering the specific interests and spatial needs of various stakeholders, and the marine space can be utilized more efficiently. This paper examines the implementation of marine spatial plans across various levels, ranging from small national jurisdictions to large areas like Australia. The authors emphasize the significance of utilizing marine spatial plans as a basis for the development of marine spaces. By analysing the factors that define marine spaces and their activities, both present and future, conflicts can be prevented, and incompatible activities can be avoided in the same area. The findings highlight the importance of proactive planning to ensure the sustainable use of marine resources and the protection of marine ecosystems.

Aligning social and ecological goals for successful marine restoration

Ecosystem restoration efforts reflect shared human values and a common vision for the future. Consequently, public approval is critical for new restoration initiatives to achieve their social and ecological goals. Yet, restoration research typically focuses on the ecological over the social aspects, and can overlook key factors that enable projects. Allowing for widespread community engagement can help to establish social legitimacy for restoration projects, and identify public perceptions and key features of social and ecological importance. Australia's largest reef restoration, to recover lost oyster reefs, is an emerging socio-ecological success story. This initiative in South Australia progressed on a foundation of public engagement, using a public consultation process to identify local's perceptions and values surrounding the restoration. An online public forum captured over 1500 public responses, of which 600 written responses were submitted and analysed to identify key public values and concerns. Overall, we documented strong support for ongoing reef restorations, as the public perceived an array of social, environmental, economic, and wellbeing benefits. Public responses reflected an understanding of how ecological benefits inspire social ones, and a firm belief that the restored reefs could improve their coastline for community betterment. These findings show how early community involvement helped generate the social license for government to pursue ongoing restoration work, and support local communities' connection to place and conservation engagement. Prioritising the development of a supportive social platform, through community consultation and maintaining coastal accessibility within ocean governance and conservation goals, can enhance the social value of marine spaces.

Designing and implementing a multi-scalar approach to Maritime Spatial Planning: The case study of Italy

The Italian coastal and marine space includes areas with remarkable differences in terms of oceanographic characteristics, maritime uses, natural habitats, species distribution, landscape and cultural heritage. In Italy, coastal and marine management competencies are shared among national, regional, and for some aspects even local authorities. This geographic heterogeneity and governance complexity required the adoption of a multi-scalar approach to Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP). Such an approach aims at implementing decision-making and spatial planning at multiple and nested scales. In the case of Italy, the multi-scalar approach included the definition of national guidelines and the development of three maritime spatial (MS) plans, one for each maritime area (Adriatic, Ionian and Central Mediterranean, and Tyrrhenian and Western Mediterranean), including subareas and nested planning units. The development of the MS plans involved competent Ministries, the coastal Regions and several researchers. Based on the description of the adopted six-phase methodology and the exemplification of results of the Italian MSP process, this paper discusses the most relevant features and common challenges of multi-scalar MSP (i.e. co-planning, vertical and horizontal integration, multi-level governance, scalability, flexibility, integration of data and knowledge with different resolution, multi-scalar stakeholder engagement). Finally, the paper reflects on some novel aspects of the adopted multi-scalar approach and identifies actions to grant efficacy to this approach during the next phases of the Italian MSP process.

Comparing Public Participation in Coastal and Marine Planning in the Arctic: Lessons from Iceland and Norway

Amid a changing global climate, Northern coastal communities face a variety of challenges to their livelihoods, which are dependent on marine resources. Marine spatial planning (MSP) provides opportunities for cooperation between authorities, stakeholders, and the public to ensure sustainable marine management. Public participation is a crucial element of coastal and marine planning for its long-term democratic legitimacy and sustainability. However, the process of MSP is often wrought with conflict and challenges of involving stakeholders and the public in decisions concerning an often-contested marine space. Whereas coastal zone planning (CZP) is well established in Norway and a reiteration of previous CZP was conducted 2020–23, MSP is new to Iceland, and has only recently been launched with its first pilot plans in 2019. This study investigates how participation in coastal and marine planning processes compare between Iceland and Norway and what lessons can be shared between them. Data were collected from two case studies in the Tromsø region in Norway and the Westfjords of Iceland through analysis of planning documentation, literature review, as well as participant observation in the Westfjords and 11 semi-structured interviews across both case studies. The results show that public participation is formally integral to both processes but, in practice, varies considerably. Both planning processes are driven by the expansion of the aquaculture industry, and a variety of issues faced during the planning process are similar. In Norway, public participation is politically desired and guided by a participation strategy emphasising synergies between expert and local knowledge. In the Tromsø region, meaningful public participation varied across municipalities and issues regarding Indigenous participation remain. In Iceland, there is little evident political expectation of public engagement, and the process is characterised by a passive approach to participation that aims to inform the public but does not include wider sharing of decision-making power. The findings do not only make clear that a revision of current public participation processes is needed in both case studies but also point towards wider issues in marine governance that have consequences for blue justice, such as the exclusion of groups in decision-making, lack of public discussion of marine issues and top–down governance supporting established power hierarchies.

Investigation of the dynamic response of a floating wind-aquaculture platform under the combined actions of wind, waves and current

Floating wind-aquaculture platforms are drawing increasing attention from the academic and engineering communities due to their potential to fully exploit and utilize marine space and its resources. However, these platforms integrate both the hydrodynamics and aerodynamics of floating wind turbines and aquaculture cages, making their mechanical properties more complex. This study aims to evaluate the effects of three different hydrodynamic and aerodynamic damping components on and the contribution of the stochastic environmental loads to the dynamic response of a floating wind-aquaculture platform. A coupled hydro-aero-servo method is established. Decay and forced oscillation tests of the platform in still water are firstly numerically performed, followed by simulation of the dynamic behavior under different combinations of environmental loads, including the fluctuating wind load of the blades, stochastic wave excitation forces on the floating body and viscous force of the aquaculture cage system. The aerodynamic damping of the wind turbine and the hydrodynamic damping of the floating body are dominant in low- and wave-frequency range, respectively. Regarding the environmental load components, the second-order wave force and the turbulent wind load are dominant in the surge direction in the low-frequency range. The dynamic response of the platform in the wave-frequency range is mainly induced by the first-order wave force. Fish net can suppress the low-frequency motion but has almost no influence on the wave-frequency motion.

Approval on the suitability of the use of marine space for the placement of planting Bagan by traditional fisherman in the coastal of Kapedi Village

Apart from working as fishermen, the coastal community in Kapedi Village also catch fish by planting bagan in coastal waters. Bagan is very effective as a fishing tool. The fish caught using this bagan are of good quality and are not physically damage so that they can compete in traditional markets. Besides that, catching fish using a bagan is not too risky for the safety of the fishermen. Almost all of the fishermen from Kapedi Village stopped fishing by boat and switched to planting bagan on the surface of the coastal waters. The purpose of this study was to determine the practice of controlling coastal waters by traditional fishermen who plant bagan fishing gear and to assess the suitability of these traditional fishing activities based on existing regulations. To achieve the objectives of this study, empirical juridical research methods have been used with a fact approach. The results of the study show that the traditional fisherman planting bagan in Kapedi Village is one of the subjects who can take advantage of sea space, therefore they are required to have Sea Space Utilization Activity Conformity (Kesesuaian Pemanfaatan Ruang Laut) issued by the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries. All bagan planting activities on the surface of coastal waters are required to have a Sea Space Utilization Activity Conformity (KPRL) Form of Sea Space Utilization Activity Suitability for fishermen in Kapedi Village based on Government Regulation Number 21 year 2021 in the form of facilitation by the Regional Government.

Marine spatial planning for connectivity and conservation through ecological corridors between marine protected areas and other effective area-based conservation measures

Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP) promotes the sustainable human activities development and uses in the marine space, playing a role in their effective management. The enhancement of connectivity is crucial for the conservation of biodiversity and landscape planning. Ecological Corridors (ECs) are an important type of connectivity for biodiversity conservation in fragmented habitats. The EU Biodiversity Strategy 2030 includes ECs into the network of protected areas and allows for the creation of additional protected areas. MSP studies considering ECs remain still lacking, especially for the design of networks between Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and Other Effective area-based Conservation Measures (OECMs). In this paper, knowledge, and tools for investigating marine ECs were reviewed, with a systematic bibliometric analysis to summarize the current scientific research. Previous studies integrating ecological connectivity into planning for marine conservation have focused on models of larval dispersal, adult movements, and dispersal of single species by using benthic habitat proxies. Few studies were found on ECs in marine environments: in the coral Caribbean reef systems in the Gulf of Mexico; within benthic habitats along the Pacific coast of Canada; between MPAs in British Columbia (Canada); and by analyzing migratory species in the Yangtze estuary (China). Commonly used approaches to project and map ECs in marine environments are least-cost and circuit theories allowing to incorporate movement with cost or resistance to movement, depending on species and preferred habitats. The systematic bibliometric analysis returned 25 studies, most of which were from North America (40%) and European countries (36%) and the largest share of papers (68%) from 2018 to 2022. This review pinpointed the need of integrating different disciplines to investigate connectivity and the need by policymakers and practitioners to recognize the importance of ecological connectivity, even there are significant challenges for integrating connectivity into policies, planning, and conservation.

Community Participation in the Program for the Use of Marine Space at the Department of Marine and Fisheries North Kalimantan Province

The success of the marine utilization program implemented by the Office of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries of North Kalimantan Province relies heavily on community participation. This study aims to analyze the extent of community involvement in this program. Qualitative research methods were employed, and data sources included both primary and secondary data. The informants consisted of stakeholders directly engaged in the program. The study’s findings revealed that community participation in the marine space utilization program at the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Service of North Kalimantan Province is at the highest level, known as citizen control. This means that the level of community engagement surpasses both non-participation and basic citizen participation. The Office of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries of North Kalimantan Province prioritizes utilizing its capacity to implement policies, programs, and activities for marine space utilization rather than solely relying on its authority. Furthermore, the relationship between the Office of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries of North Kalimantan Province and the community, including community organizations, demonstrates mutual trust and collaboration.
 Keywords: community participation, marine spatial utilization program

Promoting Sustainable Marine Development: Geotechnical Engineering Problems and Environmental Guarantee Technology in Marine Space, Energy, and Resource Development

To coordinate the conflict between economic development and climate change caused by energy consumption, countries worldwide are actively developing renewable energy, including solar energy, hydropower, and wind energy [...]

Acoustic modems and models in constrained marine spaces

Constrained underwater spaces such as harbors and ports present many interesting acoustic features and challenges. Quays, wharves, seawalls, ships, floats, bridge piers, jetties, are often part of the “scenery.” Passive and active acoustic security systems are often used in these settings. Our focus is on how acoustic communications between system modems are affected by these reflectors. The evidence is mainly anecdotal, but there is a concern that the complexity of the environment can be bad for communications, just as a convention center room can have lousy acoustics. One might think that standard ocean acoustic models would allow one to study this. However, ocean acoustic modeling has been shaped by the needs of open ocean applications. There the standard process has been to assume that the sound launched along a specific azimuth, stays in that vertical plane. This is the so-called Nx2D approximation and not appropriate to model the above mentioned features that knock the sound out of its launch plane. We have been developing a 3D beam tracing model for feature-laden applications and testing it in various sites. Here we discuss the modeling and the measurements in terms of both the fundamental echo structure and the effect on acoustic modems.

The value of multibeam bathymetry in marine spatial planning in South Africa: A review

Given a growing global population and shift to embrace the blue economy, a need for marine spatial planning (MSP) has emerged in South Africa to sustainably resolve the rising conflicts over the use of marine and seabed resources and services. A well-developed marine spatial plan yields numerous ecological, social and economic benefits. These are achieved through mediating between spatially conflicting economic drivers’ interests (e.g. commercial fishing, tourism, mining), preventing their activities from compromising thresholds of an environment’s sustainability. Within the MSP framework, high-resolution geospatial datasets are required to document and describe the seabed in the highest possible detail. At any scale, integrated analysis of seabed geomorphology and habitats is anticipated to greatly improve the understanding of ecosystem functioning from a multidisciplinary perspective, whilst improving MSP procedures and management of marine space. South Africa is the first of few African countries to have an approved and implemented MSP framework, but is still somewhat behind globally in implementing large-scale regional hydroacoustic surveys to cover the country’s vast offshore territory. The deficiency of hydroacoustic surveys is perhaps due to a relative lack of funds and poor communication about the value of multibeam echo-sounder (MBES) derived data, whilst marine geoscience remains a scarce skill in the country. This review paper presents a geological perspective of MSP and explores (1) the value that seabed mapping offers MSP specifically and (2) the need to increase seabed mapping with MBES, using a recently initiated project from the South African east coast as a case study. Significance: The collected MBES data (our case study) provides unprecedented seabed detail of the complex reef habitat and adjacent areas within specific management zones of the uThukela Banks Marine Protected Area. We reveal seabed features and their spatial distribution at a scale not possible using earlier (singlebeam) seabed mapping techniques. These high-resolution data will enable a better understanding of east coast marine habitats whilst contributing to improved spatial management of areas within and around the uThukela Banks Marine Protected Area.

Identification of optimal sites for the deployment of wave energy converters: the importance of a technology-centred approach

Driven by climate issues and geopolitical uncertainties, Europe faces the need to transform its energy supply dramatically and quickly. Various renewable technologies are proposed as a medium- to long-term solution for an environmentally and economically sustainable energy mix: among the available solutions, wave energy converters (WECs) are attracting growing interest due to the large untapped wave energy potential in European seas. In this context, the choice of optimal locations for the use of wave energy is fundamental to limit the technological gap with other fully developed conversion technologies, and to ensure competitive energy costs. In this paper, we compare different possible strategies to identify suitable sites for the installation of WECs, namely the one based on pure analysis of the wave energy resource, and that considering the productivity of the device in different sea states, i.e., its power matrix. Using the performance matrices of notional WECs, particularly an Oscillating Surge Wave Energy Converter (OSWEC) and a Heaving Point Absorber (HPA), we estimate optimal locations on the Italian coasts and highlight the advantages and disadvantages of the two approaches. The analysis shows the importance of a technology-based approach for the spatial planning of future wave power plants and highlights significant differences compared to the approach that can be used for the preliminary identification of sites for wind farms and, especially, for photovoltaic plants. We use the obtained results to introduce the MORE-EST platform, a novel web-based tool for straightforward estimation of wave resources and WECs productivity in European seas. The proposed platform is able to integrate information on wave resource assessment, bathymetry, marine space use and technological features, and represents a tool aimed at researchers, WECs developers, and policy makers.

Novel Hybrid Floating Breakwater- Wave Energy Converter Device: Preliminary Experimental Investigations

The marine space is increasingly gaining ground as the ideal candidate to drive the energy economic sector as it hosts a huge amount of natural resources to be exploited, such as waves, wind, and solar irradiation. Innovative devices harnessing these marine renewable resources have been thought to be assembled in a new concept of an energy hub for the Mediterranean Sea, recently proposed by the National Research Council of Italy.
 The feasibility of this floating energy archipelago is strongly dependent on the creation of a protected sea area with reduced wave heights, where to safely install new types of floating devices for energy harvesting from the sea, like solar islands.
 For this purpose, a floating breakwater module has been specifically designed to surround the archipelago with one or more rows. Moreover, investigating the possibility to implement a dual and alternative use of this floating module, as a traditional dissipative system and wave energy converter has resulted in an extremely challenging task. With respect to the existing hybrid floating breakwater-Wave Energy Converters in fact, the novelty of this device is the optimization of both functionalities by varying its draft.
 In extremely rough seas, the hybrid module should only serve as a passive breakwater, soaking up incoming waves and safeguarding the equipment installed inside the archipelago. Otherwise, the floating module should operate as a WEC in more frequent mild sea states, assisting the archipelago's energy output. The whole produced energy can be stored and used to supply the development of new productive activities, such as aquaculture, the expensive process of seawater desalination, as well as the production of low environmental impact fuels like methanol or hydrogen.
 The model's dual functionality is accomplished by different draft values. This parameter is directly influenced by the volume of water pumped into the module, which raises the floater's displacement. The module is almost completely immersed in the first scenario, which simulates breakwater functioning, increasing the device's stability and the amount of reflected and dissipated waves. On the other hand, when the module exhibits WEC behavior, a lower displacement is necessary, allowing greater device motions, able to better exploit the energy of the waves.
 In this study, preliminary results obtained from an experimental campaign carried out on a 1:10 Froude-scaled model are reported. In particular, the dynamic behaviour of the hybrid device is evaluated in terms of response amplitude operators, while the attenuation performances are condensed in the transmission coefficient which indicates the reduction of the wave height inside the archipelago.

Estimating fishing effort from highly resolved geospatial data: Focusing on passive gears

Increasing competition for marine space requires the appropriate development of indicators to best represent the use of marine areas and the value (whether economic, social and/or cultural) derived from such use. Fishers (the largest group of users) are often under-represented in marine spatial planning processes. Highly-resolved vessel tracking data provide opportunities to map the activities of fishing vessels at a level of detail never before available. Most effort mapping methods have focused on active gears such as trawls or dredges in large scale fisheries. For these fisheries, the time spent fishing at sea (hours) is usually a representative indicator of fishing effort, enabling a straightforward mapping of the most important fishing grounds. However, for passive gears generally used in small-scale fisheries, we show that spatial indicators of effort (here, length of vessel track) greatly outperform time-at-sea as an indicator of fishing effort. We further demonstrate and validate a method to estimate gear soak time from vessel tracking data and show how maps of effort that account for soak time can be different from those solely based on time spent fishing at sea. The development of adequate methods to quantify the spatial distribution of passive gear effort is particularly relevant to fisheries management because globally about a fifth of all catches (by weight) are landed by passive gears. Appropriate, fine scale effort maps will provide better tools for spatial planning to support sustainable fishing.

Achieving coherence between the Marine Strategy Framework Directive and the Maritime Spatial Planning Directive

Alignment and coordination of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) with other key policies is considered indispensable to accomplish its objectives. To ensure that economic activities do not generate unsustainable pressures in the marine environment, it is imperative to streamline the MSFD with the Maritime Spatial Planning Directive (MSPD), the policy regulating the spatial dimension of maritime activities and their planning. To investigate the coherence between the MSFD and MSPD, an analysis was performed in the framework of MEDREGION project (11.0661/2018/794286/SUB/ENV.C2) on the conceptual relations of the two processes. The needs and challenges encountered by MSFD Competent Authorities (CAs) in the implementation of the Directives were considered, while the Programmes of Measures (PoMs) established by Mediterranean Member States (MSs) for selected MSFD Descriptors were analysed to see whether measures can contribute to the integration of the two Directives. The MSPD implementation considers the MSFD provisions, however, there are still challenges and gaps for an effective integration. Herein, recommendations are made to face these challenges and facilitate the alignment of the two Directives. Moreover, the analysis of the MSFD PoMs shows that the MSFD identifies, directly or indirectly, human activities related to Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP) sectors and addresses them with specific measures. Therefore, MSFD PoMs constitute a concrete basis for the planning of the marine space, thus, bridging the two Directives, avoiding conflicts and facilitating synergies.

Technical Land-Sea Spaces: Impacts of the Port Clusterization Phenomenon on Coasts, Cities and Architectures

Land-sea interactions, extending inland and towards the marine spaces, are affected by major management and design transformations. Globalization processes, port expansion projects and extensive energy transition requests have recently led port institutions to demand more land, engaging deeply with logistics platforms and radically restructuring forms of port governance. In this competitive context, the phenomenon of Port Clusterisation, i.e. the administrative aggregation whereby two or more ports are merged to form port clusters, is heavily impacting the institutional sphere. However, not only does this phenomenon have no control over cities, but its spatial component seems to be neglected by the disciplines of space, such as urbanism and architecture. As a result, port and city institutions lack design tools to tackle urgent challenges as coastal utilization, the need for resilient port-city infrastructures and the regeneration of the port-city architectural heritage. In terms of novelty and contribution to academia, an examination of the spatial footprint of port clusters will allow research to move beyond its state-of-the-art by targeting a phenomenon that, though pivotal, is under-researched, especially within the spatial disciplines.

Technopreneur Design of Marine Aquaculture Based on Multi-Trophic Aquaculture and Tfd-Bakar Batu for Millennials in the Era of Digital Society in Tablolong Kupang Ntt

Integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA) is an innovation from conventional cultivation methods or focusing on one species to integrated cultivation of several species together. This study aims to design an entrepreneurial model for technology-based millennials by combining Integrated Multi-trophic Aquaculture (IMTA) and downstream "TFD-Bakar Batu" as a technology for handling agricultural products with a collaboration system through partnership efforts in Tablolong waters, Kupang Regency, East Nusa Tenggara Province. Stakeholder perceptions of the model design are centered on several issues such as risk, impact on the use of marine space, and the level of acceptance of fishermen, millennials so that this model can be socially accepted with the level of stakeholder satisfaction. The method used in this study uses questionnaires conducted on provincial governments, district governments, the private sector, communities and fishermen to identify potential and stakeholder concerns and perceived benefits at the commercial production level, with research questions on the level of understanding of IMTA, spatial location problems, food safety and disease, waste utilization and the emergence of new economic sectors. Data was analyzed using qualitative data analysis with NVivo14 QSR International software. The results showed that there are several problems including risks to the environment, risks arising from governance and risks to the industry itself however, stakeholders feel that the source of risk can be overcome with agricultural product handling technology "TFD Bakar Batu" and policies. Stakeholders also believe that this model can contribute to improving the aquaculture industry so that this model can develop from pilot scale to industrial scale through studies by forming entrepreneurs using technology.

Financing marine conservation from restructured debt: a case study of the Seychelles

In the face of the threats posed to the oceans by a changing climate, the need for marine conservation programs grows rapidly. Scaling with this need demands sufficient funding to support ambitious conservation projects. This funding must be obtained from increasingly varied and innovative sources since private grants and government allocated funds has proved insufficient. Debt-for-nature swaps are a financial mechanism seeking to improve debt burden while setting up environmental programs. This method of debt restructuring has existed for decades, but is seeing a resurgence of use and interest in recent years. Here we present an exploratory case study of a Seychelles debt-for-nature swap which examines this financial mechanism’s ability to fund impactful conservation projects, particularly in marine Economic Exclusion Zones (EEZ) of Small Island Developing States (SIDS). The Seychelles finalized a conversion of their sovereign debt with Paris Club creditors and The Nature Conservancy as a broker in 2015 with the goal of creating a robust marine spatial plan (MSP). They received notable recognition for multiple novel aspects of this deal as well as the sheer scale of the marine space protected (400,000 sq. km), and thus serves as a robust case study to analyze if debt-for-nature swaps have evolved since its theoretical conception in 1984. Our research favors qualitative data by employing a case study approach which draws on semi-structured interviews with key informants, content analysis of online resources, and a literature review. This research suggests that while the model has yet to be cemented, the Seychelles case study is representative of a coming evolution in debt-for-nature swap practices. By examining the critical governance factors that were employed in the Seychelles, this research reveals key takeaways for future implementation and establishing national candidacy. The findings highlight debt status relative to the economy, political willpower, funding streams utilized, and the use of co-production practices. We show how the Seychelles case study demonstrates marked progress from the historical standard regarding sovereignty concerns and governance, but not concerning timescales and low converted sum. However, we note that this innovative debt-for-nature swap suggests that a new standard is possible and provides a new framework and set of best practices. In doing so, the Seychelles MSP can potentially lead the way for additional marine debt-for-nature swaps.

Implementation of integrated ecosystem assessments in the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea—conceptualizations, practice, and progress

Abstract With increasing activities of multiple sectors in marine spaces, management of marine social–ecological systems requires more holistic approaches. Adopting such an approach, however, presents difficult institutional and disciplinary challenges. Here, we use the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) as a case study on the implementation of ecosystem-based management (EBM) and integrated ecosystem assessments (IEAs). ICES includes EBM and IEAs in its Science Priorities and established IEA Working Groups (WGs) to carry out regional IEAs. But to what degree does this IEA WG work follow best practices? We examine policy documents, academic literature, and interview data from chairs of all IEA WGs. Results indicate mixed success. All groups acknowledge the holistic goals of IEA, and many use the IEA model as laid out by Levin et al. However, we found a significant variation in the degree to which the full model is applied. We identified two primary areas for improvement: (1) integration of social and economic issues and (2) involvement of stakeholders. We offer examples of how WGs have been making progress towards full IEAs, discuss how ICES can further support this transition, and suggest lessons with respect to the adoption of EBM and IEAs more broadly.

Diving into a just transition: How are fisheries considered during the emergence of renewable energy production in Scottish waters?

Infrastructure at sea to accommodate a transition to renewable energy and meet global climate commitments is proliferating around the world. Although there is seemingly more space at sea than on land for these new developments, anticipated and existing conflict with existing marine users such as the fishing industry have raised concerns. Yet, countries around the world have committed to a just energy transition, which should avoid disproportionate impacts on specific communities. This study introduces a framework that considers three dimensions of justice at different project planning stages to analyse whether strategies to foster justice for fisheries align with remaining barriers to justice. It was used to understand how existing and planned cable and renewables projects in Scottish waters account for energy justice in relation to the fishing industry. Procedural justice aspects of project planning have improved over time, with greater involvement of the fishing industry during the siting and design of projects. However, resource constraints limited the involvement of smaller fishing fleets, indicating a barrier to recognitional justice. Distributional justice at project level was steered by decision-making at a national level, and national targets for renewable energy generation made the fishing industry feel they are not on equal footing with project developers. The findings of this study provide key insights into the multiple dimensions of energy justice and their implications for the consideration of fisheries. Identified best practices and potential barriers to a just transition can be helpful for other nations seeking to introduce new developments into their marine space.