First Marine Spatial Plan
Experts met in Swakopmund to discuss the future of marine environment.
What human activities may take place where and when in Namibia's marine space? As this question has no simple answer, about 100 experts from various fields met yesterday in Swakopmund where they discussed this future of the countries' marine environment – it was the first multi-sector workshop where Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) in Namibia was discussed.
“Achieving sustainable ocean development is not simple and straight forward in a marine space where a number of different human uses put forward claims to use the same ocean”, said Moses Maurihungigirire, the fisheries ministry's permanent secretary during his remarks.
The current activities taking place include fisheries, naval defence, environmental protection, geological resource mapping and exploitation, mariculture, heritage, maritime transport and ports, coastal infrastructure, tourism and sea water abstraction. “And all have different interests to use the Namibian sea”, he continued.
Namibia is one of the first countries in Africa that is busy drawing up a unique Marine Spatial Plan (MSP), which will guide current and future uses of the ocean environment. Should all fall in place, the plan will be finalized and legislated by next year and is expected to be implemented by 2020.
According to Maurihungigirire, the organisation of the use of the sea is currently done through the designation of marine space for these human activities on a sectoral basis. “Little or no consideration is given to policies and plans of other sectors that may be conflicting or compatible,” he said.
This situation has already “caused conflicts” among some of the existing or emerging uses. “And conflicts are set to increase as we seek to unlock the socio-economic development potential of our ocean which comes with intensified and diversified use,” he added.
During yesterday's workshop the National Working Group for MSP presented a Current Status Report, which Maurihungigirire regarded as the starting point for the Namibian Marine Spatial Planning process.
The report provides a national overview and establishes a baseline that identifies the key issues that need to be addressed in the first Namibian marine spatial plan.
“Achieving sustainable ocean development is not simple and straight forward in a marine space where a number of different human uses put forward claims to use the same ocean”, said Moses Maurihungigirire, the fisheries ministry's permanent secretary during his remarks.
The current activities taking place include fisheries, naval defence, environmental protection, geological resource mapping and exploitation, mariculture, heritage, maritime transport and ports, coastal infrastructure, tourism and sea water abstraction. “And all have different interests to use the Namibian sea”, he continued.
Namibia is one of the first countries in Africa that is busy drawing up a unique Marine Spatial Plan (MSP), which will guide current and future uses of the ocean environment. Should all fall in place, the plan will be finalized and legislated by next year and is expected to be implemented by 2020.
According to Maurihungigirire, the organisation of the use of the sea is currently done through the designation of marine space for these human activities on a sectoral basis. “Little or no consideration is given to policies and plans of other sectors that may be conflicting or compatible,” he said.
This situation has already “caused conflicts” among some of the existing or emerging uses. “And conflicts are set to increase as we seek to unlock the socio-economic development potential of our ocean which comes with intensified and diversified use,” he added.
During yesterday's workshop the National Working Group for MSP presented a Current Status Report, which Maurihungigirire regarded as the starting point for the Namibian Marine Spatial Planning process.
The report provides a national overview and establishes a baseline that identifies the key issues that need to be addressed in the first Namibian marine spatial plan.
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