The Israel Marine Plan

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תכנית ימית לישראל THE ISRAEL MARINE PLAN

Faculty of Architecture and Town Planning | The Klutznick Center for Urban and Regional Studies

1 TABLE OF CONTENTS

1 2 3

INTRODUCTION THE NEED FOR INSIGHTS AND USES A MARINE PLAN IN THE MARINE SPACE

3 - 4 5 - 8 9 - 12 4 5 6

COMPATIBILITIES THE PLANNING THE VISION IN THE MARINE PROCESS ENVIRONMENT 13 - 16 17 -20 21 - 24 7 8 9

POLICY THE SPATIAL IMPLEMENTATION MEASURES STRUCTURE AND SUMMARY

25 - 43 44 -54 55 - 59 INTRODUCTION

3 Introduction

Introduction

Israel's marine space in the Mediterranean Sea is larger than the country's terrestrial land area, and can serve many needs of society, the economy and the environment. It contains enormous potential energy resources and is also the main source for the production of water for domestic consumption, and holds valuable natural and heritage resources. The marine space is the main commercial and an infrastructure bridge to the rest of the world, and it could be seen as a future land reserve for infrastructure development, and perhaps even for urban development. At the same time, the marine space is also Israel's "blue lung," ofering a vast open seascape and opportunities for leisure and recreational activities. In recent years the marine space, due to emerging human activities, has become an arena of conlicting uses, and between these uses and the natural and heritage resources it harbors. Nonetheless, until now there has been no overall planning of the marine space, and policies addressing this area are currently lacking, especially when compared to the level of administrative concern and planning efort allotted to Israel's terrestrial part.

The Israel Marine Plan aspires to realize a new marine vision. Through its goals, the plan ofers ways for informed and responsible management of the sea, applying an overall ecological approach. It aims to develop marine knowledge, to improve public awareness of what exists in the marine space, and to shape the way it is depicted spatially. The Israel Marine Plan outlines a vision and a series of clear objectives, as well as policy measures for attaining them. Planning and management of Israel's marine space according to this plan will enable realizing all objectives and to create synergies between them.

The Israel Marine Plan Is the initiative of a group of researchers and planners at the Faculty of Architecture and Town Planning's Center for Urban and Regional Studies in the Faculty of Architecture and Town Planning at the Technion. Professional consultants in a variety of marine ields have joined the efort, from Israel and abroad, along with Ethos – Architec- ture, Planning and Environment, which has managed the planning process. The process was conducted with the assistance of a large group of stakeholders. This group included representatives of government ministries and government bodies, environmental organizations, local authorities, and representatives of the business sector that has a connection with the sea. The stakeholders have had considerable impact on the process of formulating the plan, and their contribution has enriched the end product.

The Israel Marine Plan is intended to integrate, accompany and support parallel measures of planning, legislation, research and study of the sea in Israel, at present and in the future. Its aim is to establish a long-term policy and an inclusive and efective spatial plan for Isra- el's marine space in the Mediterranean Sea.

All material prepared within the framework of the plan is available on the plan's website: msp-israel.net.technion.ac.il

4 THE NEED FOR A MARINE PLAN

5 The need for a marine plan

The need for a marine plan

Underlying the initiative to draw up a plan is the understanding that Israel's marine space is a vast resource, over 26,000 km² in size, larger than the State's land area. There are three diferent zones within this area:

1. Coastal waters (territorial/sovereign waters) – up to 12 nautical miles westward from the shoreline, with a total area of over 4,000 km². The State has full sovereignty in this area, but foreign vessels have the right of "innocent passage";

2. The Contiguous Zone – a strip that extends a further 12 nautical miles beyond the coastal waters (in other words, between 12 and 24 nautical miles from the shore line), and constituting part of the Exclusive Economic Zone. The State does not have full sovereignty in this zone, but it may operate limited enforcement authority in order to prevent infringe- ment of the law with regard to customs, immigration, sanitation and archaeology;

3. The Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) – extending beyond the coastal waters to 110 nautical miles (NM) in the south of the country, and 70 NM in the north, to the mid-line between Cyprus and Israel, as agreed between them. The borders of the economic waters in the north and south have been marked as is customary in this matter between countries, but without any consent or agreement with Lebanon or the Palestinian Authority or Egypt. In the EEZ, the country does not have full sovereignty and only enjoys exclusive economic rights: the right to explore, utilize and manage the living and mineral resources on and under the seabed, and in the waters above it; the right to utilize waves, currents and wind for the production of energy; associated authorities to realize these rights, such as building facilities and artiicial islands; judicial rights in the area of the facilities, and the authority to determine a safety zone around them. The State also has supervisory and enforcement authorities to exercise its rights to the living resources, and the authority to con- duct scientiic research and to protect the marine environment. With these rights, the State has an obligation to preserve the marine environment and the living resources. Foreign countries have deined rights in the economic waters, including the right to sail, ly, and lay submarine cables and pipes. Israel has not yet oicially declared its Exclusive Economic Zone (as required by the UN Convention on the Law of Sea, UNCLOS).

12 24 Exclusive Economic Zone Shoreline Shoreline Coastal Contiguous waters zone km

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0 Nautical mile 10 2030 40 50 60 70 80

1 Nautical mile = 1.85km

6 CHARACTERISTICS OF ISRAEL’S MARINE SPACE

2,400 tons of ish a 5 Ports, 7 Marinas year by mariculture 11,000 Cargo ships a year 2,200 tons of ish a year by traditional ishing 22,500 Small vessels

EEZ border 1,000 BCM Natural gas reserves Area of EEZ (estimate) 22,000 sqkm

600 MCM desalinated potable water a year

Contiguous zone border 4,000 sqkm Coastal waters border Area of Coastal waters

9 Marine reserves 195 km 48 Identified habitats coastline 600 Known archeological sites

7 The need for a marine plan

There is considerable potential in this area for developing and providing a variety of services to Israel's society and its economy, but also a serious threat to the delicate natural/ ecological balance of the marine environment. If realized, this threat could harm the sensitive marine and coastal ecosystems and the services they provide. In the absence of a comprehensive plan for the marine space and efective tools for implementing it, realizing these threats could cause irreversible damage.

National attention to the opportunities and threats in the marine space has increased considerably in recent years, mainly because of the discovery of large gas reservoirs. Attention has also increased due to the understanding that initiatives in and around the area will continue to expand, and that it is also necessary to take into account global changes such as climate change, and geological and political developments in the eastern Mediterranean. This attention has not yet coalesced into a clear spatial policy and efective regulatory tools for planning and managing the space. Therefore, many opportunities are likely to be missed or delayed, while threats become realities.

With similar challenges, many of the world's developed countries have created in recent years mechanisms for planning and managing the marine space and its resources based scientiic knowledge. These mechanisms call for balanced and careful development, preserving the resilience and health of the marine environment while protecting the sea's resources for the coming generations. Examples include marine spatial planning (MSP) plans – which have developed considerably in recent years, mainly in North America, Europe, and Aus- tralia, and the ecosystem based management (EBM) approach, which emphasizes the needs and objectives of the diferent stakeholders, and creates a synergetic balance between them while preserving a strong, healthy and productive ecosystem. Applying and adapting of the knowledge and methodologies developed around the world to Israel's marine space is essential.

8 INSIGHTS AND USES IN THE MARINE SPACE

9 Insights and uses in the marine space

Insights and uses in the marine space

The irst stage of the planning process entailed the collection and analysis of the existing information about Israel's marine environment and its uses. The characteristics of the marine space were identiied, and the following insights emerged:

In recent decades the Israeli sea has become an area of multiple uses and activities, as well as conlicts. Pressures caused by infrastructure and urban and rural development along the coast. The use of the sea itself has multiplied considerably with the discovery of natural gas. The sea is a rich and still to be discovered source of energy, enabling the State of Israel to come closer to energy independence, the development of engineering and technical knowledge, and the creation of supporting industries. At the same time, there is a con- stant increase in the magnitude of maritime trade. Israel's sea is its gateway and bridge to the rest of the world. Almost all import, export, and communication, vital to its existence and its continued prosperity and well-being are dependent on the marine space. These require port infrastructures, shipping corridors and maritime routes, control, monitoring and security systems, and an ever more sophisticated network of cables connecting Israel to the rest of the world. Furthermore, for Israel as an "island state" (without peacetime relations with its neighbors), the sea is also a security front and important strategic depth. The greater the opportunities in the marine space, the greater are the threats.

The considerable pressures on Israel's densely populated land (especially its coastal strip), the doubling of its population within a few decades, its economic activities, and its social needs demand continued examination of the sea as a reserve area for land based development. Various studies show diferent levels of feasibility of development at sea for the purpose of establishing infrastructure facilities that have a connection to the sea, or those that take up valuable coastal areas, or create wide scale restrictions on dense land areas. The possibility of utilizing the marine space for urban development still appears distant, and it is doubtful whether it is in line with national priorities. Nevertheless, it requires continued research, and creative work, and should not be taken of the planning and technological agendas or out of the framework of the marine vision for the farther future.

The marine space also contains unique geological and biological features, and rare heritage values. The eastern Mediterranean can be observed and actually used as natural laboratory in which a large part of the world's marine geological phenomena occur, including signif- icant tectonic activity. There is great biodiversity, some of it unique, which is threatened by many invasive species as well as by increased human activity. The Israeli marine space is also the cradle of early civilizations, coastal and maritime, rich and continuous from the Neolithic period until our times, and ofers a fertile bed for research, study, education, and tourism and leisure activities. The Israeli sea is an oligotrophic sea (very poor in nutrients), with very limited ishing resources. Poor management of ishing and actual overishing has contributed to the depletion of ish, and caused serious harm to essential environmental resources. The Ministry of Agriculture proposes developing controlled mariculture that will develop food from the sea in an economically and environmentally sustainable way.

10 Insights and uses in the marine space

Despite the considerable development in mapping, data collecting and research in recent decades, knowledge about the Israeli marine space in the Mediterranean, and in particular the deep sea that constitutes the greater part, is still very limited. Furthermore, there is a worrying absence of a national policy to promote marine research and data collecting, to provide suicient funds for its development and make it accessible. In addition to all of the above, despite the dependence on the marine space and its accelerated use, and despite the awareness of its potential and its environmental and social vulnerability, this area still has fractured administration and limited governance. The marine space is still severely lacking in appropriate legislative tools, efective enforcement mechanisms, and the necessary spatial planning. All these are detailed at length in the Israel Marine Plan Stage 1 report are the foundation for deining the plan's objectives and for formulating policy measures for realizing them.

USES IN THE MARINE SPACE

LEGEND

Maritime borders Gas and petroleum infrastructures Border of coastal waters Petroleum and gas wells Border of Contiguous zone NOP 37/a/2 Border of EEZ Drilling rights NOP 37/h – plan border Statutory borders NOP 37/h – offshore complex District border Closed areas – Order 100 Gas transmission pipeline infrastructure Coastal texture – NOP 35 Existing pipeline infrastructure Planned (NOP 37/a/2 amendment 4) Marine reserves-Status of proposal Other infrastructures Approved Declared Fishing cages Proposed Desalination plant Discharge areas (acidic sewage /earth) Marine transportation Discharge of excavation matter Shipping routes Communication Ports and anchorages Communication switchboards Ports Communication cables Energy anchorages Anchorages Land infrastructures Port areas Roads Commercial port Towns Energy port Rivers

*NOP - National Outline Plan

11 USES IN THE MARINE SPACE

12 COMPATIBILITIES IN THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT

13 Compatibilities in the marine environment

Compatibilities in the marine environment

In order to examine the way in which the diferent uses are incorporated in the marine space, two compatibility matrices have been developed. These compatibility matrices have guided the proposed policy measures and spatial structure of this plan. These two matrices analyze:

1. Compatibility and conflict among the different uses

2. Compatibility and conflict between the different uses and the natural resources and heritage and cultural values

The two matrices were based on a list of uses and values of Israel's marine space –and a summary of the environmental impacts of each use, their signiicance and range. On the basis of the information collected, the relationships were deined, cross-referencing the diferent uses, and relating to the degree of possible or desirable synergy between them:

In the matrix of relations between the different uses, the following categories were defined: • Synergy – the two uses contribute to each other (for example: a power station with an island or artiicial structure in the sea). • Absence of conlict – division of time or space between the uses (for example: ofshore trawl ishing and coastal recreation and tourism). • Requires coordination – uses that can exist in parallel, spatially or concurrently, depending on coordination (for example: a communication cable adjacent to a gas or oil pipeline). • Conlict – one of the uses interferes with the other, or prevents its existence (for example: sewage discharge and sea water desalination intake).

In the matrix of compatibility between the different uses and the natural resources and cultural values, categories were defined according to the degree of expected damage: • No damage to the natural or heritage value • No signiicant damage • Damage • Damage during construction • Potential for damage • Potential for damage at the shoreline crossing

The seascape view was examined among the natural resources. This view is expected to change, for instance with the construction of ofshore facilities. Because the signiicance of changes to the view is subjective and depends on the observer, impact on the view was not deined as damage but rather in terms of change or absence of change to the observed seascape.

14 COMPATIBILITY AND CONFLICT BETWEEN USES IN THE MARINE SPACE

Synergy No conlict Power stations Requires coordination Desalination plants Conlict Oil loading / unloading terminals

Coal unloading piers Sewage and treated wastewater outlets Port development

Port operation

Sailing vessel activity

Gas and petroleum exploration Gas and petroleum production and treatment Gas and petroleum pipeline

Communication cables

Artiicial islands

Sand / sandstone mining

Depositing excavation matter

Trawl ishing

Coastal and surface ishing

Sport ishing

Marine agriculture

Coastal recreation and tourism

Anchorages

Sailing and sea sports

Sport diving

Military activities

15 COMPATIBILITY AND CONFLICT BETWEEN USES AND NATURAL RESOURCES AND HERITAGE AND CULTURAL RESOURCES IN THE MARINE SPACE

Habitats and bottom dwellers Underwater Heritage sites Fish and water creatures Coastal Heritage sites View / observability

Cetaceans Seabirds

Coastal power stations Change to the observed view Desalination plants on the coast No damage / No change Offshore power stations to the observed view Offshore desalination plants No signiicant damage Oil loading / unloading terminals Damage Coal unloading piers Damage during Sewage outlets construction

Port development Potential for damage Port operation

Sailing vessel activity Potential for damage at shoreline crossing Petroleum and gas exploration

Gas and petroleum production

Gas and petroleum pipeline

Communication cables

Artiicial islands

Sand / sandstone mining

Depositing excavation matter

Trawl ishing

Coastal and surface ishing

Sport ishing

Mariculture

Coastal recreation and tourism

Anchorages

Sailing and sea sport

Sport diving

Military activities Potential damage and potential conservation

16 THE PLANNING PROCESS

17 The planning process

The planning process

The Israel Marine Plan’s basic approach emphasizes that the marine space is essentially (ultimately) public. It aspires to view the diferent interests of all the stakeholders fairly and guarantee the provision of its ecosystem services over time. Seeing the sea as a public space arises from the principle of the Public Trust Doctrine adopted by many industrialized and democratic countries. The doctrine places management of natural resources, such as beaches and the sea, in the hands of the state in order to preserve them for the general public. The method that guided the planning process of the Israel Marine Plan has derived from accrued international experience in regional and national marine planning and management, with the emphasis on the practices of MSP and EBM described above.

The Israel Marine Plan is intended to serve all stakeholders and interests in the marine space, mainly but not only government bodies and enforcement and management bodies. The plan’s preparation is intended to integrate into, accompany and support the government’s initiatives to regulate uses of the marine space, in order to create a broad marine plan which is science based and will allow balanced, efective and sustainable management of Israel’s marine resources.

The process was based on 10 main principles:

1. Using of up-to-date information and knowledge, linking science and policy making 2. Incorporating the ecosystem-based management (EBM) approach 3. Future oriented 4. Integrating various disciplines and interests, including administrative, government and public authorities and bodies 5. Combining planning with integrated management practices. 6. Participatory, with all stakeholders participating in each one of the stages of planning and implementation 7. Distinguishing between different marine areas 8. Flexible, constantly revised, learning from accumulated experience 9. Using accessible and interactive spatial representation tools for participation, planning and management 10. Transparent, clear and accessible to stakeholders and the public at large

18 The planning process

The process involved four stages:

1. Collecting and analyzing the available data and knowledge 2. Defining the plan’s vision and goals. 3. Developing policy measures for implementing the goals, and developing alternative approaches to integrate them and spatially structure the marine space 4. Formulation of the Israel Marine Plan: Recommended policy measures to implement the goals. The spatial structure of the Israeli sea Recommended process for monitoring implementation and updating the plan

The diagram below presents the process methodology. In the right-hand section, at each stage, is the feed and feedback of each of the relevant ields of knowledge, while the left- hand section shows the active participation of stakeholders. Both experts and stakeholders are accompanied by local and international professional scientiic advisory committees and by a forum of stakeholders.

Stakeholders Planning process Fields of knowledge Participatory Professional advisory committees: model Collecting multi-parametric and analyzing envelope model information and

Marine biology an Israeli and an international The general knowledge public Geology, geophysics and Deining the vision oceanography Environmental and objectives organizations Maritime transport developing the Fishing and Local policy measures mariculture government and examining Marine alternative spatial archaeology approaches Government Infrastructures and ministries artiicial islands Formulating a Energy

Forum of stakeholders Forum plan: the policy Energy industry measures, spatial Security representatives structure, and tools Maritime law for implementation, Bathymetry and Shipping industry monitoring and morphology representatives follow-up Climate change

19 The planning process

The ASDA

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are intended, among other things, to Global present and analyze data that combine MSP Remote Data diverse types of information across the Data Server Bases Bases Arcigs space. The Israel Marine Plan has devel- AGOL oped a GIS-based online platform called "ASDA", which combines information from a number of spatial servers (Arc GIS On Line, MAP Data Base, Technion Arc- GIS Server) and serves as a central aid for Tech AGOL Arcgis planning, participation and management. Server The ASDA allows experts and professional stakeholders from diferent disciplines to cross-reference and analyze data, respond and participate interactively, hold ASDA dialogue, and exchange spatial and textual GIS tool for planning, ideas and opinions relating to planning participation and management the marine space and the Israel Marine Plan products in a lexible and visual manner. The ASDA is available and accessible to the planning teams, stakeholders Sharing Planning Manage- and the general public at the Israel Ma- Website App ment App rine Plan website - msp-israel.net.technion.ac.il

The ASDA system interface GIS tool for planning, participation and management

20 THE VISION

21 The Vision

The Vision

The Israel Marine Plan vision takes into account the characteristics of the Israeli marine space, and its natural, economic and cultural values. This vision serves as the main framework that leads the plan’s principles and goals:

“The marine area will be an integral part of the Israeli space and an essential component of its future economic well-being, environmental resilience and social and cultural development for the beneit of its residents, guests and future generations. This will be achieved through the implementation of integrative governance that is ecologically balanced and participatory, the sustainable use of marine resources, the enhance- ment of the marine landscape and heritage, the promotion of marine research and knowledge, and through the realization of international responsibilities and cooperation.”

The 12 Goals

In order to realize the vision of the Israel Marine Plan, 12 goals have been determined: 1. Improve governance of the marine space 2. Advance scientific knowledge and develop information about the marine space and make it accessible 3. Protect, conserve and rehabilitate the marine environment 4. Develop energy resources in the Marine Space in a wise and cautious manner 5. Develop shipping, ports and sailing in a cautious and sustainable manner 6. Develop sustainable interfaces of fishing and mariculture 7. Use the marine space as an alternative for land uses in a cautious and sustainable manner 8. Incorporate security considerations in the planning and balanced management of the marine space 9. Prepare for the impact of climate change on the marine and coastal space 10. Establish the status of the sea as a public entity, and develop sustainable uses for the public benefit 11. Discover, conserve and enhance the heritage and cultural treasures in the marine space 12. Develop the role of the sea as a bridge and an opportunity for international cooperation

22 THE VISION AND GOALS

1. Governance

12. 2. International Knowledge and cooperation information

11. 3. Heritage Environmental and culture conservation The marine area will be an integral part of the Israeli space and an essential 10. component of its future economic 4. Public well-being, environmental Energy beneit resilience and social and cultural development for the beneﬁt of its residents, guests and future generations. 9. 5. Climate Maritime change transport

8. 6. Security Fishing and mariculture 7. Land substitutes

23 The new map of Israel

The plan’s vision presents a new approach to the sea as an essential and integral part of the Israeli space. The plan strives to embrace the marine space into the Israeli space and awareness. It tries to change the perception of the sea as strange unknown, mysterious and “beyond the horizon”. To this end, the "new map of Israel" is presented, representing the sea and land of Israel as a uniied mass, in which the shoreline is a backbone or equator, holding together the areas on either side.

* Based on an idea of Ronnie Sadeh. Mapping is based on data from the Ministry of National Infrastructures, Energy and Water Resources website.

24 POLICY MEASURES

25 Policy measures

The Policy Measures

The Israel Marine Plan sets forth policy measures and spatially distinct guidelines that are designed to attain its goals and lead toward its vision. Implementing these planning and management guidelines and measures is supposed to enable a sustainable use of the marine space, reduce conlict and create synergies between them.

In order to attain the goals and lead toward the vision, the Israel Marine Plan proposes an array of policy measures. These measures, applied with the spatially distinct guidelines, appear in the Spatial Structure section, as recommendations for government bodies and other marine space stakeholders to implement.

The policy measures are presented in accordance with the set of 12 goals with which they are associated. However, many of these policy measures are supposed to advance more than one goal, to support the entire framework of the plan and to lead toward its vision. The background and rationale for each of the policy measures is followed by the proposed measures.

1.Improve governance in the Israeli marine space

In recent years, marine space has become a powerful economic resource, abundant with uses and services; it has also gained recognition as a public realm, vital, sensitive and, in many ways, endangered. Many diferent government ministries and regional authorities play a role in regulating these uses; in areas close to the shore, local authorities are involved as well. These myriad agencies often act with insuicient coordination, with no guidance in the form of a comprehensive plan or guiding policy, and without taking an integrated approach Vis a Vis the reciprocal efects of the many uses to which it is put, or to the impact of these uses on the marine environment. Not only that, but authority has yet to be designated over a major portion of Israel’s marine space, i.e., the country’s Exclusive Economic Zone (economic waters).

Existing legislation and regulations call for additional reinforcement, updating and development, aimed at producing better tools for planning and managing Israel’s entire marine space; they also recognize the need for ongoing monitoring and research so as to ensure proper inspection, supervision and enforcement with regard to human activity at sea and onshore. Unless the appropriate authorities are established and reinforced, in the context of a broad perspective, it will be very diicult to forward the public interest in the Israeli marine space.

The government has recently begun advancing several major initiatives aimed at regulating activity and improving governance in Israel’s marine space:

26 Policy measures

The Ministry of Justice is forwarding the legislation of a Marine Areas Law whose purpose is to “clearly delineate a legal framework for control of the marine areas, the State of Israel’s rights in these areas and the bounds of the authorities that the various state agencies are entitled to exert in them.” Among other things, the bill calls for the government to approve a document detailing a long-term policy for regulation of the entire array of activities that take place in the economic waters, including ofshore oil and gas exploration and production, and for the designation of protected marine areas.

The Director of Planning in the Ministry of the Interior (now in the Ministry of Finance) initiated the preparation of a policy document on Israel’s marine space in the Mediter- ranean Sea, which is meant to provide an integrative framework for the formulation and delineation measures for regulating and managing the marine space.

The Ministry of National Infrastructures, Energy and Water Resources is conducting a Strategic Environmental Oil and Gas Ofshore Exploration and Production Sur- vey as a tool for applying environmental standards on ofshore oil and gas exploration and production.

Proposed policy measures

• Advance the proposed Marine Areas Law, 5775-2014, which aims to establish the State’s authorities, rights and duties in the various parts of Israel’s marine space, including its coastal waters, the area adjacent to it and the EEZ, to deine responsibilities and delegate authorities in line with international law. At the same time, an efort should be made to incorporate the Israel Marine Plan’s principles and goals into the legislative framework while emphasizing the public status of the marine space, to forward the adoption of an ecosystem approach, and to promote accountability, transparency and public participation. The legislation will be adjusted for changes and social/ economic developments as they occur, and will facilitate the response to a wide range of future scenarios while adhering to a sustainability agenda.

• Expand the authority of the National Board for Planning and Building with regard to the EEZ, in the framework of the Planning and Building Law, 5725-1965, to ensure the formulation of an integrated policy for regulating the uses and activities that take place in Israel’s marine space. The policy will apply practices of ecological approach and integrated planning in accordance with the rules of international law. The Board will act in accordance with the powers granted to it by law, in full transparency and with the participation of stakeholders in the marine space and the public at large in the decision-making process. Additionally, the powers granted to the Committee for the Protection of the Coastal Environment (the CPCE) will be expanded so as to enable it to serve as a National Board for Planning and Building advisory committee on issues related to planning of the marine space and the coastal areas. The tools available to the National Board and the CPCE will enable them to exert their authorities over all areas of the marine space in an efective manner.

• Establish a governmental entity to be responsible for the development, ef- icacy and coordination of the entire range of licensing, supervision, inspection

27 Policy measures

and enforcement activities, and for institutionalizing cooperation between the various governmental and public entities that are involved with the marine space controlling, including pooling and augmentation of the resources available to them and consideration of expanded Israeli Navy involvement as part of this system.

• Assess and promote the State’s participation in international and regional conventions and arrangements, including the Convention on the Law of the Sea, as a means of furthering regional cooperation in such areas as research, environmental protection, resource development and planning of the marine space.

• Formulate National Outline Plan (NOP) 13 Sea-Coast regional plans ap- plicable to both sea and coast. North/south boundaries to be determined on the basis of the municipal boundaries while clustering regional and local municipalities into consecutive sections, with cities addressed separately. In the rural areas, the eastern boundaries will coincide with the eastern boundaries of the coastal texture as deined in NOP 35 and in urban segments on the 300 meter line east of the oicial shoreline. The western border of each segment will be the horizon line delineated in this plan- 7 km from the oicial shoreline.

2. Advance scientific knowledge and develop information about the marine space and make it accessible

Marine science has a key role within the framework of planning and management of uses in the marine environment, based on the holistic EBM approach. Marine research and monitoring activities are meant to provide information and knowledge as a basis for the required understanding of the functioning of the natural systems and of the impacts of human activity on that system. Israeli marine science has attained remarkable achievements over the years and recently there has been impressive progress in the development of marine research infrastructures, especially for deep sea research. However, the current structure and scope of research and monitoring do not meet existing needs for information and knowledge about Israel’s marine space, given the increase in activity and the environmental pressures to which this space is subject, including the impacts of climate change. At present, there is no national marine research policy, and as a result no mechanism exists for assessing the national needs with regard to information and knowledge about the marine environment, as well as for setting research and monitoring priorities; there is no regular allocation of funds for marine research and monitoring within the State Budget framework, nor is there a mechanism for funding the maintenance and operation of the vessels and infrastructures needed for marine research and for routine collection of oceanographic data; and there is insuicient coordination between the various government agencies that periodically fund studies of the marine environment. Also lacking is a national policy for the management of data and information about the marine space, and for making such information accessible to potential users. The Israel Oceanographic

28 Policy measures

and Limnological Research (IOLR), a governmental corporation, established the Israel Marine Data Center with the mission to acquire, archive, and disseminate data on Israel’s marine environment and to produce useful information from that data. However, as of yet, no government funding has been arranged for the regular operation of the Center, nor has the government laid down guidelines for submission to the Center of data collected by means of public funding or rules for making that data accessible to the public.

Proposed policy measures

• Prepare a national marine science strategy to provide a framework for shaping, supporting and coordinating the activities for obtaining the data, information and knowledge needed for decision-making on issues related to management of Israel’s marine space. The strategy should address the mapping and monitoring of environmental features and the identiication of special natural values within Israel’s marine space; understanding of the natural processes operating therein at diferent spatial and temporal scales; and understanding and monitoring of the interactions between human activity and the natural system, including the impacts of climate change. The strategy should be based on the following principles:

x Periodic setting of priorities for collection of information and reducing knowledge gaps in the above areas, while considering the relevant activities of the designated government ministries, in accordance with their authority and areas of responsibility, and without undermining their work;

x Allocating government funding for activities in the aforementioned scientiic areas in accordance with the periodic priorities, including the arrangement of a dedicated budgetary framework to fund the use of research vessels and advanced infrastructures by the scientiic community. This should be in addition to the allocations of designated government ministries for activities within their areas of responsibility;

x Arranging government funding for the maintenance of systems for continuous collection and near-real-time provision of marine data, as a public service;

x Strengthening the ability to collect data and to provide information on the marine environment via advanced and innovative technologies.

• Prepare a national policy for management and accessibility of data and information about Israel’s marine space, to be based on the following principles:

x Imposing an obligation on all governmental entities (government ministries, government agencies and governmental corporations) that collect or fund the collection of marine data to submit the data to the Israel Marine Data Center at IOLR;

x Setting a policy of the research foundations that are funded in full or in part by the State, requiring research grant recipients to submit marine data to the Israel Marine Data Center within a speciied period of time (which will ensure the irst use and publication rights of researchers);

29 Policy measures

x Imposing an obligation on private entrepreneurs , e.g., recipients of oil and gas exploration licenses, to submit to the Israel Marine Data Center marine data collected in the framework of background surveys and environmental monitoring (subject to restrictions pertaining to intellectual property of commercial value);

x Imposing an obligation on the Israel Marine Data Center to make Center data available to the public and to provide the data to anyone requesting it, with no restrictions (except those based on national security considerations), and free of charge, except for fees to cover the costs of information retrieval and compilation for delivery purposes, or payments for special data processing eforts or production of special information products as requested.

3. Protect, conserve and rehabilitate the marine environment

The Mediterranean’s Levant Basin is a geologically active area, meaning that within its boundaries one inds unique geomor- phologic phenomena that also constitute special habitats, such as underwater ridges, trenches, and canyons, deep sea plateaus, submarine landslides, hydrothermal vents and more. The Medi- terranean Sea, though oligotrophic, is considered to be one of the world’s most biologically diverse areas. This diversity is attributed to evolutionary processes that have taken place over millions of years and brought about the existence of a large number of habitats, to the Mediterranean Sea’s geological history and to its unique location in a transition area between tropical and tem- perate zones. A descending gradient in the abundance of invertebrate and vertebrate species from northwest to southeast. The eastern basin is by nature the least species-rich, apparently due to diicult living conditions for marine organisms such as higher temperature and salinity and lack of nutrients. At the same time, the Israeli marine areas contain an important abundance of species of tropical origin, most of them invasive species arriving via the Suez Canal and spreading north.

Israel’s marine space constitutes of large areas of soft substrate and some more limited hard substrate habitats, including those that are globally unique, such as the coastal abrasion platforms, the Achziv submarine canyon, the underwater Eolianite or sandstone ridges (kurkar ridges), methane seep areas and deep-water corals. Information on the deep-water area is gradually improving over time and future research is expected to produce additional knowledge.

Israel is a signatory to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), which obligates it to conserve and protect at least 10% of its marine space (up to the EEZ border). Marine nature reserves already exist, and the Israel Nature and Parks Authority’s master plan for large and special reserves is meant to preserve and protect unique and representative habitats along the coast and in the territorial waters. However, currently, the total area of the existing reserves amounts, at present, to less than 10% of Israel’s territorial waters.

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Despite the existence of a few speciic points where pollution loads remains a problem, the status of Israel’s marine environment is good compared with that of many other Mediterra- nean countries and areas. Quite a few measures are needed to protect this delicate environment, some of which are administrative and legal while others involve the development of strategies as well as the implementation of systems and mechanisms for the prevention and treatment of pollution resulting from maritime activities. In the absence of a set of environmental standards, comprehensive strategies to prevent marine pollution from land-based sources, among other measures, are urgently needed to avoid deterioration of the marine environment and even to improve it. The status of Israel’s shallow-water and coastal sands and the erosion of its beaches also requires attention and conservation measures. The development and utilization of natural gas reserves in Israel’s marine space, and the increased volume of shipping in the eastern Mediterranean, require a re-examination of the risks associated with them and the development of appropriate counter-measures.

Proposed policy measures

• Identify and legally anchor marine protected areas (MPAs) in the marine space, in a way that facilitates the efective conservation of biodiversity, the representation of endemic and endangered habitats, and the representation and protection of unique marine and coastal sites. It is also proposed that consideration be given to establishing MPA networks and designating the abrasion platforms as nature reserves or as protected natural values.

• Develop a legally binding set of marine environmental standards in accordance with the up-to-date approaches, highest standards and relevant international conventions, for the purpose of conserving the marine environment and providing clear and transparent guidelines for initiatives that might afect the coastal and marine environment. Periodic updating of the marine environment standards should take place to relect developments in knowledge, information and technology, and in accordance with changing and cumulative environmental threats.

• Develop a strategy and a comprehensive plan to reduce pollution from land- and marine-based sources, and implement the plan through state-of-the-art ecological management methods and in accordance with the State’s commitment to relevant regional and international conventions and arrangements.

• Assess existing preparedness and response systems to oil and other types of pollution arising from malfunctions and accidents, and adapt them to ensure efective response to existing and future risks in the marine space, including prevention, treatment and rehabilitation measures.

• Adapt the standards and regulations of Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) for all projects in the marine space, and making the submission of an Environ- mental Management Plan (EMP) mandatory for any project or plan with potentially signiicant environmental impacts.

• Legally mandate a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) as the basis for

31 Policy measures

policymaking and comprehensive planning for other activities besides petroleum and gas exploration and production, such as ishing and mariculture, shipping and more.

• Regulate ofshore mining of sand and other illing material with a sustainable approach and in accordance with the principles of Ecosystem Based Management (EBM). This can be accomplished by expanding NOP 14, the National Outline Plan for Mining and Quarrying, to address the marine space.

• Develop a national comprehensive coastal and shallow water sand resources policy document to address their conservation and management of, and to prevent beach erosion.

4. Develop marine energy resources in a wise and cautious manner

The natural gas reservoirs found in Israel’s marine space have become a major resource of the utmost economic importance. In the wake of the discovery and initial utilization of the gas, it has become necessary to develop a comprehensive policy for Israel’s EEZ. The discoveries of recent years amount to over 1,000 billion cubic meters (BCM) of natural gas, considered capable of meeting Israel’s domestic energy needs for decades to come. It is important to note the considerable potential that exists for additional discoveries of natural gas or even of oil in the next few years. It also appears that natural gas will make up to 60%-70% of all energy sources, with most of the gas coming from Israel’s EEZ; some of the gas will be exported. After many years of complete dependence on foreign energy sources, and in light of the fact that a major portion of Israel’s energy sources were in the hands of countries with which Israel does not oicially have trade relations, the chance to achieve energy independence is important.

Drilling and production of oil and gas will likely generate an entire industry of planning and construction of supporting infrastructures for transmission, treatment and supply. They will also necessitate the development of a security system. Natural gas discovery is also im- pacting regional strategy; gas exports to neighboring and other countries, and the expected strengthened economic relations with those countries, will likely engender geopolitical change of great importance to Israel. One must, however, remember that a dense network of oil and gas exploration and drilling infrastructures constitutes an environmental and economic threat due to the possibility of a major accident or spill. NOP 37H proposed two suitable areas, in the coastal waters of Michmoret and Dor, to develop natural gas treatment and transmission infrastructures, amounting to a total area of 100 km2.

In addition to reducing dependence on foreign energy sources, natural gas has economic and environmental advantages compared to other carbon-based energy sources, which are less efective and more damaging to the environment. As long as renewable energy sources (such as solar and wind) are not being exploited to a signiicant degree, developing Medi- terranean natural gas sources will be of the utmost importance.

32 Policy measures

Proposed policy measures

• Develop a strategic plan for advancing the principles of infrastructure uniication and synergy, lowering the ecological footprint, utilizing the best available technologies (BAT) and adopting an ecosystem approach (EcAp).

• Consider establishment of fully centralized infrastructure for the transmission of energy originating in Israel’s marine space. This would facilitate competition, control over relevant resources, and develop human, scientiic and technological resources and infrastructure in the ield. Consideration could be given to planning and constructing a national gas routing platform within Israel’s territorial waters, to serve as an intersection for all natural gas transmission to Israel and for exporting, as well as an infrastructure for the development of complementary and gas- or water-based industries.

• Encourage the development of local industry and employment that support the production and development of ofshore energy sources.

• Develop a plan for exporting, importing and stockpiling energy, to ensure, over the long term, the availability of a range of sources, competition, and supply stability, including the maintenance of suicient reserves and strategic redundancy of reserves and infrastructure. Participation in international transmission networks, advancement of open export and import arrangements, and development of shared infrastructures.

• Ensure regulation and implementation of binding rules and measures to prevent and reduce environmental impacts and disruptions of other uses in the marine space due to the exploration and production of marine energy resources, including inspection, monitoring and enforcement.

• Develop applied research, expand knowledge and information on energy resources in Israel’s marine space.

• Collect information and assess the feasibility of renewable energy production technologies in the marine space.

5. Develop shipping, ports and sailing in a cautious and sustainable manner

Israel’s marine space is home to extensive marine transportation activity of all kinds. 98% of Israel’s import and export pass through the ports of Haifa and Ashdod, underscoring their critical importance to the state’s economy. Considerable activity also takes place around the energy ports in Hadera and Ashkelon, and around the deep-sea gas infrastructures. In addition, a heavy international marine traic arrives at other ports of the Mediterranean’s eastern basin.

33 Policy measures

In addition to the international trade, some 500 ishing boats and 22,500 small vessels are active in Israel’s marine space, and are served by seven marinas along the Mediterranean coast: Acre, the Kishon Marina in Haifa, the Herzliya Marina, the Tel Aviv Marina, Jafa Port, the Ashdod Marina and the Ashkelon Marina. Development of oil and gas exploration activity in Israeli marine space has also led to an increased presence of research, supply and logistical support vessels, which serve the growing number of drilling and production towers.

Given the predicted increase in trade and vessels traic, by 2035 there will be a need for an infrastructure expansion of the existing ports and of their onshore facilities, or, alternatively, a manmade island near the shore – should such prove economically and technologically feasible – as well as environmentally sustainable. Another matter that needs to be addressed is the increase in small-vessel activity. According to forecasts of the Administration of Ship- ping and Ports, by 2040 there will be a shortage of 2,400 moorings for yachts and small boats. The total port and marina area that will be needed is estimated to be in the thousands of dunams*, ofshore and onshore.

Proposed policy measures

• Continued adaptation and development of deepwater ports, suited to the increase in ship volume, marine trade trends and long-term Israeli policy. Cost-beneit assessment of developing HUB ports and a “hosting” marine space, enabling Israel to become a major player in the eastern Mediterranean marine transport domain/ield.

• Continued steps, measures and activities to ensure open and secure sea-lanes and entry corridors to Israeli ports, in accordance with commerce trends; the lanes and corridors should be integrated into the east Mediterranean’s marine traic system.

• Include the development of marine transport and logistics systems serving the energy production and storage in the Israeli marine master plan.

• Assure the movement of small and mid-sized recreational vessels, and develop sea-lanes and sailing rules. Develop potential anchoring sites that do not negatively afect beaches, such as artiicial islands or platforms, or adjacent to marine infrastructure facilities.

• Develop, adopt and enforce legally binding rules, in accordance with high-level international conventions and standards, for reducing marine and air pollution caused by port operation and shipping.

* 1 hectare = 10 dunams = 2.47105381 acre. 34 Policy measures

6. Develop sustainable interfaces of fishing and mariculture

Development pressures, overishing and regional and global phenomena (such as climate change) have, over the last few decades, resulted in a 50% worldwide decline in ish catch. Increased ishing activity (of all kinds) has put a growing strain on the environment, both globally and in the Mediterranean Sea. Israel has experienced a 45% decline in ish catch, along with a signiicant increase in the bycatch. Currently, Israeli ishing provides only 2,600 tons per year, amounting to just a very small percentage of the country’s food ish consumption. To minimize damage to the marine environment, enable the ish population to recover, and tap the sea’s potential for food production, destructive ishing methods should be reduced and changes introduced into the ishing leet’s com- position and management. A recent report by the Technion’s Samuel Neeman Institute has projected that in 2035 Israeli demand for fresh sea ish will rise to 100,000 tons and therefore, the report recommends reserving 100 km2 for mariculture in Israeli marine space, where suitable.

Proposed policy measures:

• Institute a knowledge-based administrative reform in the Mediterranean ishing sector, one that efectively addresses each form of ishing while assuring the ish population’s renewability, mitigating negative ecosystem efects, and ensuring social-economic beneit.

• Within this management reform and with the intention to minimize conlicts among various ishing methods and the renewability of ishstocks the following measures will be used: place signiicant restrictions on, or even cessation of, unsustainable ishing methods, e.g., the gradual decommissioning and scrapping of many of Israel’s ishing trawlers, with due compensation to vessel owners; revoking the exceptional licenses that are still issued authorizing ishing with SCUBA or compressed air diving (despite their illegality); restricting ishing activity during breeding seasons; restricting ishing in sensitive areas as periodically designated, with an emphasis on underwater rocky reefs and Kurkar (eolianite) ridges; ishing restrictions of endangered species; strict catch limits on recreational ishing.

• Anchor the administrative reform in updated primary and secondary legislation.

• Augment relevant authorities’ ability to monitor and supervise ishing and to enforce pertinent regulations, and create a lexible decision-making mechanism based on scientiic knowledge and stakeholder engagement.

• Allocate areas and spatially distinct guidelines for diferent types of ishing and regulate recreational and coastal ishing to ensure its sustainability.

35 Policy measures

• Assess the possibility of ishing-trawlers activity at depths of over 40 m., and utilize trawlers for alternative ishing methods that do not drag ishing equipment on the seabed (e.g. midwater trawling).

• Formulate a holistic national policy that addresses mariculture in the marine space including an assessment of the economic and environmental feasibility of mariculture from a sustainability and national-economy perspective that also takes food security into account. The policy should include the development and implementation of ishing and mariculture technologies used to minimize negative environmental ex- ternal costs; it should also address research, the development and domestication of ish species capable of withstanding open-sea conditions, the possibility of algae-culture and other forms of mariculture via integrated or dedicated methods, and the allocation of areas for this purpose. All of these activities should be dependent on proof of technological feasibility and should incorporate an ecosystem approach.

• In this framework, assess the feasibility of creating mariculture parks that would facilitate uniication of shared measures and services such as energy, docking, security, environmental monitoring, marketing, veterinary services, communications, transportation and the like. Accordingly, areas suitable for mariculture should be identiied and allocated, and measures taken to mitigate the activity’s environmental impact and to assure long-term investment in the ield. The possibility of populating the sea with small ish using globally-proven methods should be assessed as well.

• In this framework develop orderly marine sites, logistic bases at ports, and environmental requirements to create certainty for investors and the emerging industry.

• Develop binding rules pertaining to protection of the environment from mariculture impacts and from the exploitation of marine food resources; this should encompass inspection, monitoring and efective enforcement. Tools should be developed for the implementation, supervision and enforcement of measures to prevent and mitigate environmental impacts.

• Incentivize transformation from trawling to mariculture and redirect some of the trawlers to the establishment and operation of mariculture farms.

7. Use the marine space as an alternative for land uses in a cautious and sustainable manner

By the end of 2015 Israel’s population is expected to be 8.5 million; the Central Bureau of Statistics forecasts (the medium option) put the country’s population at 9.1 million in 2020, and at 11.4 million in 2035. To address this substantial increase in population size, as well as an anticipated rise in per-capita GDP, it will be necessary, within a few decades, to double the total amount of loor space and utilities supply of all kinds. Against this background of dense onshore construction and rising land values, especially along the coast, we looked at several Israeli

36 Policy measures

studies that have assessed the feasibility of creating artiicial islands in Israel’s marine space, both for infrastructures and for urban development. The need to build a wide variety of infrastructural facilities in the marine space is continually intensifying. This is due primarily to the proliferation of such infrastructures along the coastal strip and to the fact that the main sources of energy and freshwater come from the sea.

A policy paper on artiicial islands adopted by the National Planning and Building Board (2007) pointed to a strong preference for the creation of small islands, hundreds of dunams in size, for infrastructure facility clusters – power stations, a liqueied natural gas terminal and desalination plants. National Outline Plan 37H, approved a year ago, designated for the irst time two ofshore areas, 7-10 km from the shore, for of receiving and treating natural gas from the wells, with pipeline corridors from the facilities to the shore. A recent Ministry of Science feasibility study looks at the idea of attaching other infrastructural facilities to natural gas treatment facilities, with a view to ensuring added value. The facility areas are tens of dunams in size, with impact and risk radii ranging from one to ten km.

It was also noted that development of the present port system will meet Israeli needs only until 2035-2040, and that the capacity of Ben-Gurion Airport is limited, meaning that the shortage of onshore land for potential airport use is worsening. However, construction of an international airport ofshore would be highly complex, require a substantial connection to land and could be harmful to the marine environment. It would require thousands of dunams, depending on the planned passenger capacity, and its estimated impact radius would be 1-10 km.

Proposed policy measures

• Identify potential uses and areas in the marine space that ofer a positive environmental, social and economic balance for ofshore urban infrastructural development. The proposed measure relects the need to curb infrastructure concentration and to distance environmental threats and risks from sensitive and densely-developed onshore areas, especially the coast. This is in accordance with the spatial structure and the order of priorities deined for the various marine areas in the Israel Marine Plan’s Map of Marine Areas. Recommendations are divided into three parts:

Firstly, it is recommended that consideration be given to initiating the construction of small facilities that do not require a ixed connection to the shore (a bridge or tunnel), and that could be placed on foundation piles or developed as loating and an- chored facilities, e.g., gas distribution and treatment facilities (as already noted, for example, in NOP 37H), or other energy or hazardous substance facilities, etc. Advanced construction technologies and the operation of such facilities in an exclusively marine context would make it possible to erect them in the integrated marine area on the Map of Marine Areas beyond the ofshore horizon area, 7 to 12 km. from the shore, and thereby to mitigate their visual and environmental impacts.

Secondly, it is recommended that an environmental-technological-economic feasibility study be undertaken regarding the creation of artiicial islands closer to shore (within the 7 km ofshore horizon area), for large infrastructure

37 Policy measures

facilities that require onshore connection, such as a third deepwater port once the potential for enlarging and deepening the Haifa and Ashdod ports has been exhausted, and an additional international airport. Moving these large infrastructures ofshore would be expected not only to free up the onshore areas required for their operation, but also large areas falling within the range of the restrictions that they impose. However, given the technologies available for developing loating or foundation-pile structures beyond the horizon, the practicability of these solutions has yet to be demonstrated.

These solutions also entail yet another feasibility study, one that would take into account the steep slope of the Mediterranean seabed and the high waves produced by frequent storms. Sites close to the shore require in-depth examination of possible ef- fects on the horizon area’s public and visual functions, and on the marine and coastal environment – given the major impact on coastal sand transport and on the beaches themselves and the absence of illers, as well as the impact on the landscape. The necessary link to shore (bridge or tunnel) is also a weighty and expensive proposition, with environmental ramiications that are hard to predict at this stage. In any event, it is recommended that large infrastructure facilities be situated in the marine space just across from existing coastal infrastructure facilities, e.g. today’s ports, coastal power stations and security facilities.

Thirdly, Regarding urban development that would provide an alternative to onshore development, the Israel Marine Plan does not recommend such development in the foreseeable future. The Mediterranean Sea’s unique structure – its steep slope requiring huge quantities of ill, or the use of as yet unproven technologies – shed much doubt upon the feasibility of ofshore urban development. Even if proven feasible, creating new land and connecting it to the shore would entail huge investment. Such an investment would not necessarily serve the national agenda well. As tempting as it is to create new land in central Israel and to build on the seemingly unbeatable advantages of greater Tel Aviv, this would likely not result in afordable housing for a diverse population, or directly foster the prosperity or revitalization of existing cities. Rather, artiicial ofshore urban development could be expected to divert investment and focus from the country’s main urban goals for the next few decades – urban re- generation and development of the Negev and the Galilee. For the foreseeable future, environmental, social and economic considerations, as well as principles of sustainable development and the precautionary principle, point in the direction of conserving the ofshore horizon area (except for crucial infrastructure facilities). This will leave more open options for generations to come and the options of adjacent future ofshore development will not be restricted.

• Identify and develop new technologies that enable the marine space to be used as an alternative to onshore options (in accord with the priorities stated above), and formulate rules for the sensitive and sustainable integration of alternative infrastructural development in the marine space, while mitigating (and compensating) environmental damage and risks and performing continuous environmental monitoring and management.

• Develop seismic hazard maps to provide background for outline and local planning with regard to the marine space. These maps will expand on the Geological Survey of Israel’s onshore seismic hazard maps.

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• It is proposed that the Planning Administration guidelines (of April 2014) be updated to include considerations related to ofshore seismic hazards in the planning process.

8. Incorporate security considerations in the planning and a balanced management of the marine space

As Israel is a geopolitical “island” in many respects, its Mediter- ranean marine space is a strategic asset of the irst order. This space efectively functions as the country’s entry and exit point, meaning that the protection of vital waterways and of the State’s economic and other assets and activities in this space is a critical security mission. Israel’s marine space teems with watercraft travel- ing continuously between the ports of the eastern Mediterranean, that space which constitutes a perpetual threat to the country’s onshore security. Along with the emergence of infrastructure needs, irst and foremost the various natural gas facilities, there has been a great increase in the proliferation of threats and possible strike scenarios that could have grave economic ramiications for Israel.

All of these considerations place a huge burden on the marine space protection system as a whole. In order to protect sensitive infrastructures, ports and energy facilities, and to enable military exercises, tens of square kilometers of Israel’s coastal water space are already closed to watercraft. Protecting the coastal waters is an especially diicult and complex task also because international law prohibits Israel from closing of areas in this space to international maritime traic.

Proposed policy measures

• Adopt a procedure for the regular inclusion of security system personnel in marine space coordination and enforcement mechanisms.

• Incorporate environmental, economic and social considerations into all security activities and uses of the marine space.

• Incorporate and act on security considerations and elements in all decision-making and selection processes related to marine space uses and activities.

• Allocate the surface and depth space needed for security exercises (and maneuvering).

• Develop a plan to include the security establishment and authorities in ef- forts to conserve the marine environment and to ensure its efective social and economic functioning over time, including rules to take advantage of overlapping of security uses and activities with other uses.

39 Policy measures

9. Prepare for the impact of climate change on the marine and coastal environments

The Mediterranean has long been recognized as a hotspot where climate change impacts manifest more intensively than elsewhere. Recent assessments by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change predict climate change efects in the Mediterranean region for the period 2081-2100 (compared with 1986-2005) in the form of a 2°C-4°C mean air temperature increase and a 10%- 20% decline in rainfall. A 2010 report on the threats to the coastal clif projected a sea level rise of 1-1.4 meters on Israel’s Mediterranean coast by the year 2100. Similarly, in the coming decades water temperature is expected to rise signiicantly, together with salinity and acidity of the eastern Mediterranean. IOLR National Monitoring Program indings for 2013/14 on climate change support the aforementioned projections regarding sea level rise, warming, increased salinity, acidiication and changes in the low regime and in the regime of fertilizer transfer from shallow water to open sea in Israel’s marine space. These are changes of great signiicance with far-reaching environmental ramiications.

Additional risks related to climate change in Israel’s coastal areas include increased fre- quency and intensity of looding, erosion and a dearth of sand, looding of estuaries and low-lying areas, groundwater impacts and aquifer salinization. Sea level rise forecast in the more extreme scenarios will also hasten the collapse of Israel’s coastal eolianite (kurkar) ridges, the intrusion of sea-water into estuaries, and damage to naval facilities and national infrastructures such as ports. The anticipated seawater temperature rise will increase the intrusion of invasive species from the Red Sea and Africa’s Atlantic coast, and harm abrasion platforms along the coast.

Proposed policy measures

• Include a speciic chapter devoted speciically to ways of addressing climate change impacts on Israel’s marine and coastal space in an envisioned comprehensive national plan for coping with climate change.

• Continue to advance research, information and knowledge sharing regarding the efects of climate change on the marine and coastal space, including assessment of the impact of climate change combined with other stressors on ecological, economic and social systems.

• Consistently assess Israel’s commitment to regional and international conventions and arrangements that relate to the adapting to climate change and mitigating its efects.

40 Policy measures

10. Establish the status of the sea as a public entity, and develop sustainable uses for the public benefit

Israel’s beaches and marine environment are major elements of the country’s social fabric. Recreation and cultural sites for public beneit in these areas, and tourism infrastructure along the coast, have shaped Israeli culture over the years and continue to do so. However, the sea itself is still regarded as a space separate from the land and the shoreline; the ofshore horizon viewed from the shore is perceived as the country’s western border, beyond which lies the unknown and the unfamiliar. Even on the beaches, public access and rights are often hard to identify and maintain, while in other cases they are simply not acted on or enforced. Outline plans that address the shore, such as NOP 13 and various district and local plans, the Coastal Waters Policy Paper and the Marine Environment Law all state that Israel’s beaches should be a public good, open to all and free of charge. However, this vision is still not always realized, due to coastal infrastructure development and pressure to close areas for private commercial or other uses. Accordingly, the Israel Marine Plan recommends supplementing and expanding parts of NOP 13 (National Outline Plan 13) to address the country’s Mediterranean beaches.

Proposed policy measures

• Formulate a national plan to establish the status of Israel’s marine space as an expansive public space, and as an attractive destination for tourism, sports, recreation and leisure activities. Identiication of general and unique areas of the marine space as a public space dedicated to beneit people of Israel Devel- oping a plan, i.e. NOP 13 as well as tools and measures for conservation, assurance and improvement of public access to and along the beaches and free and safe public movement within the marine space. Strengthen the public connection between shore and sea in terms of access, landscape and nature and heritage values.

• Conserve and enhance socially and culturally important sites and activities (ishing, sailing, recreation, sports).

• Develop recreational and sports activities for the beneit of Israeli residents and incoming tourists, including coastal and marine parks for public use.

• Take steps to ensure the inclusion of leisure, recreation and study components in the economic and environmental activity of Israel’s marine space.

• Uphold principles pertaining to conservation of the marine space and culti- vation of its landscape, with an emphasis on local marine landscapes and open hori- zons where possible, in the framework of economic and infrastructure development.

• Build a marine-oriented communal and social identity, e.g., foster the creation of a network of social organizations engaged with the sea, and create extra-orga-

41 Policy measures

nizational cooperative frameworks that involve the public in processes of planning, enforcement and monitoring of marine uses and activities (e.g., citizen science).

• Incorporate the idea of the sea as a public space with content relating to its resources and unique environmental values into the general public education curricula – curricula that teach “the true map of Israel,“, encompassing the country’s spatial structure, landscapes and values and the economic, environmental and social features contained within it.

11. Discover, conserve and enhance cultural heritage in the marine space in Israel’s marine space

It was in the eastern Mediterranean that the world’s most ancient cultures emerged. The area is home to 9,000 year old Neolithic settlements (now underwater) and to ports that have existed for millennia and witnessed continuous marine activity on a large scale. Many diferent civilizations have left traces in the form of coastal structures, marinas and ports, as well as thousands of sunken vessels that, when discovered, make their contribution to the age-old tale of the eastern Mediterranean Sea. This rich heritage provides a foundation for the development of beaches and marine areas abundant in social and economic value.

Proposed policy measures

• Formulate a comprehensive plan to identify and document heritage values, including a plan to monitor existing sites. Develop efective rules for protecting heritage and culture values and for conserving integrated marine and coastal sites, with an emphasis on endangered values, and incorporating these rules into binding legislation and ordinances.

• Create a national marine heritage and antiquities site database, with procedures for collecting the data amassed by government agencies, academic and other entities, and tools for imparting knowledge about Israel’s marine heritage to the public at large and from within the education, tourism, leisure and recreation sectors.

• Formulate a plan to develop infrastructures and human resources for research, monitoring, supervision and enforcement in the heritage and culture spheres, which would pool resources with various entities involved in marine research.

42 Policy measures

12. Develop the role of the sea as a bridge and opportunity for international cooperation

Israel’s marine space serves as a gateway and bridge to the world. Ports, shipping and sailing routes and communication cable that are active in that space make it a bridge that con- nects Israel to other countries, to the global economy and to the global communication infrastructure.

In addition to being the corridor that links Israel with the rest of the world, the marine space could be the focus of regional and worldwide inclusion and cooperation. Israel is already active in international frameworks based on the Convention for Protection of the Mediterranean Sea against Pollution (the Barcelona Convention), including the Mediter- ranean Action Plan, Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) and Horizon 2020. Israel is also a signatory to other regional conventions and agreements relating to marine environment conservation, preparedness for handling water pollution, and cooperation in extraction and rescue eforts. International cooperation, manifested in resource pooling, information coordination and sharing, will lead to improved relations between Israel and other countries and will enhance Israel’s global status; it will also advance the country’s economic, environmental, social and scientiic interests.

Proposed policy measures

• Continue to advance cooperation and shared arrangements in the Eastern Mediterranean to beneit the peoples of the region, in such spheres as the environment, desalination, energy, marine traic, common protected areas food production, including inclusion in international networks, open export and import arrangements, and shared infrastructures.

• Foster academic cooperation on issues of local and global importance as manifested in the eastern Mediterranean.

• Join existing and emerging international projects. Israel will initiate joint activities with other countries and with international authorities in the spheres of marine space conservation, development, monitoring and regulation. This encompasses the protection of shared interests, such as preventing and handling environmental threats, coping with climate change, addressing transport and trade issues, and international security cooperation.

43 THE SPATIAL STRUCTURE

44 The spatial structure

The spatial structure

In order to enable the implementation of the policy measures and reaching its goals, the Israel Marine Plan proposes to divide the Israeli marine space into ive functional marine areas that are spatially distinguished from each other and are outlined on the marine areas map below. The marine areas are inclusive, allowing for a variety of uses and activities in each area. The distinction between the marine areas lies within the priorities and reciprocal relationships between uses or actions in each of them. Each of the marine areas is therefore an exploration area that ofers a variety of opportunities and yet enables managing conlicts and attaining synergies in accordance with the goals set by the plan. De- cisions made according to the distinctive guidelines for each one of the marine areas would thus enable the social, economic and environmental functioning of the entire marine space.

The distinctions are mainly based on the division of the marine space into habitats identiied by the IOLR and the Geological Institute, in the context of a strategic environmental survey initiated by the Ministry of National Infrastructures, Energy and Water. It also relies on surveys and proposals by the Nature and Parks Authority, on previous plans, such as NOP 37h and on detailed reports submitted by the Israel Marine Plan’s consultants. These distinctions also take into account the various levels of data and scientiic knowledge in the diferent areas. These spatial distinctions should facilitate the implementation of the proposed policy measures, and enable the settling of inherent conlicts between the diferent goals themselves as well as allowing for a comprehensive-synergetic decision making process. The spatial distinction also stems from the compatibility analyses between existing uses, planned and assumed uses, and between them and the natural as well as heritage values of the marine environment.

Within their distinct guidelines, the marine areas are very much future-oriented, allowing for ample lexibility within them to respond to unexpected needs and technological developments.

The distinction between the ive marine areas does not suggest a simple hierarchy. Each marine area ofers a distinct balance between protection of the marine environment and human use. It also suggests which kind of policies should be implemented in each area. In a number of areas, the suggested policy is proactive while in others the policy is reactive. A proactive policy calls for taking further action as early as possible while a reactive policy is transferring the “burden of proof” and the responsibility for mitigation of adverse impacts to the outside initiatives when they are put forth. This policy calls for intensive research and data to be well prepared for efective reaction, but leaves much freedom for unexpected developments and for the discretion of next generations to come.

The distinction between the marine areas will also be relected in the guidelines for marine environmental impact assessments that will be required according to the type of use or action proposed. It will also determine the kind and extent of environmental compensation. Environmental compensation is implemented in worldwide marine management practices and ensures maintenance of the ecological and public balance of the

45 The spatial structure

marine space. The compensation is derived in multipliers of various rates in accordance with the area and type of usage, and is given in exchange for damage (in actual practice or potentially) of environmental or public values. This is done by allocating an area intended for protection at various levels, and activities of access, exposure and empowerment of environmental or public values, including their investigation and management and monitoring. This principle coincides with the IOLR recommendation given in the report that was prepared as part of the Strategic Environmental Assessment, according to which a signiicant part of each habitat should be preserved. Public compensation should be provided, as part of the planning requirements, even outside the area of the intervention itself (“the blue line”), implemented in the land spatial plans that stipulate the usage and operation approved within them as a contingency. Designation of protected areas in the context of various marine areas refers to diferent levels of protection, diferent than the presently ac- cepted terms and rules used for land in regard to nature reserves or national parks.

Protection oriented

Marine Marine Shared Protected Proactive

Marine Horizon Reactive

Marine Deep Shared- Sea Protected

Development oriented

The following is the proposed spatial policy in each of the five marine areas:

1. The “Marine Protected Area” – covering 2,660 km2, 10.3% of the marine space, divided into eight large sub-areas and dozens of smaller areas.

This area spreads out in general from the shoreline and is a continuation of the coastal area of NOP 35, up to the edge of the continental slope. The Marine Protected Area contains nature reserves that were recommended by the Nature and Parks Authority, as well as known habitats that have been evaluated as vulnerable or unique, such as underwater solid ridges, geological disruptions and other underwater elevations. This is the most protected area from among the marine areas included in the plan, and it is the main exploration area for nature and landscape values preservation and protection designations. The policy proposed here is a proactive policy for the location and approval, at high priority, of marine protected areas at various levels. In parallel, the policy recommends that within

46 The spatial structure

this area one should avoid, as far as possible, human activities that do not have a signiicant connection with preservation operations, study and research – the latter developed at a minimal level. This will be carried out while providing environmental compensation at a high multiplier, supporting the area’s main designation. The large areas are, from north to south: the Rosh Hanikra marine protected area, the Galilee marine protected area, the Rosh Carmel marine protected area, the Carmel marine protected area, the Mevo’ot marine protected area, the Sharon marine protected area, the Palmachim marine protected area and the Evtach marine protected area.

2. The “Marine Shared Area” – covering 407 km2, 1.6% of the marine space, divided into eight sub-areas.

This spreads out in general between the “horizon line” as delineated and the boundary of the coastal shipping corridor that stretches to its west, and between strips of sections of the “Marine Protected Area.” This is a development-oriented area compared with other areas, and it is the main exploration area for intervention and development designations. It combines a direction that allows, even though at a low priority, the inclusion of protection and preservation operations of future area reserves. This area comprises seven domains: beyond Nahariya, beyond Acre, beyond the Haifa cities bloc, beyond Hadera (north and south), beyond Netanya, beyond Gush Dan and beyond Ashdod.

Here, too, a proactive policy is suggested for locating, at a high priority, sustainable human usages. To this end, decision makers will attempt to avoid locating them in proximity to known nature values, shipping routes and high visibility from the shoreline. In these areas we propose a proactive policy of developing various infrastructure facilities with an emphasis on energy facilities such as the national platform for natural gas routing and related industries, or facilities with a connection or a signiicant advantage for the marine space, such as mariculture farms or with a signiicant advantage for location within the marine space in order to avoid large risk radii on shore. The marine integrated area is wide in scope and leaves a stock of large areas, even after the needs that are expected today have been fulilled. The multiplier of environmental compensation will be relatively low in this area.

3. The “Marine Horizon Area” – covering 680 km2, 2.6% of the marine space, divided into seven large sub-areas and a number of smaller areas.

This spreads out from the coastline to the west, up to the horizon as seen from a person standing on the coastline (about 7 km), and between the strips of Marine Protected Areas. This area is visible from densely populated urban shores and lies lush with them, and is therefore very sensitive from a social point of view and constitutes a signiicant public product. Decision makers will act to preserve an open landscape, to decrease the risk from existing and future infrastructure facilities and to utilize this area for purposes of leisure and recreation. This area also includes vulnerable habitats and a main concentration of heritage values linked with the shore. Its proximity to the shore leads to a concentration of threats within this area, and both active and potential sources of pollution. The marine horizon area includes also most of the harbor uses, and most of the infrastructures linked to the shore. All these will require signiicant continued development in future. As regarding the entire marine space, the Horizon Area is also the most researched one and there is relatively detailed and extensive scientiic knowledge and information regarding it.

47 The spatial structure

Since the Marine Horizon Area abounds with both needs and threats, the policy regarding it is integrated, i.e. it proactively initiates operations of preservation, landscape and public activity, and reacts eiciently to increasing pressures. In order to allow this complex integration, it is proposed that within this area, eforts concentrate on designing the sea and the shore, thus ensuring mutual accessibility, both longitudinal and latitudinal and providing good integration between public usages and developing infrastructure uses, between the need to preserve nature values and heritage values that are under threat, and the values of the visible open landscape that also constitutes Israel’s blue lung.

The Marine Horizon Area is a secondary area for the exploration and location of protected areas, mainly in proximity to the protected marine area. This area will be secondary to exploration and location, even for additional human uses. The marine horizon area is only intended for uses that arise from the proximity to the shore, and with preference for uses of leisure, recreation and heritage, and will be particularly vulnerable to visibility and landscape values. Infrastructure facilities that can be pushed out into the integrated marine area will not be erected within this area. On the other hand, consideration will be given to a policy for planning and developing large infrastructure facilities such as a new port or marine airport that require quick, continuous and dynamic connection with the coast, will also be considered. The policy proposed in this context is to unify, to the greatest extent possible, all new facilities with the more veteran ones (Haifa, Hadera, Ashdod and Ashkelon ports) and in proximity to power stations and other infrastructure facilities. The environmental and social compensation will be particularly high and will be integrated as a central level within future planning initiatives.

4. The “Marine Shared-Protected Area” – covering 2,710 km2, 10.4% of the marine space, divided into six sub-areas.

The Marine Shared-Protected Area spreads over the back of the marine integrated area, or the horizon space, and between the strips of the marine protected area up to the edge of the continental slope. The policy proposed for this area is a reactive policy intended to preserve this area as an open marine space and to view it as a secondary exploration area for additional protected areas, as well as a future secondary exploration area for limited constrained human uses. The reactive policy is not necessarily passive. It requires the initiative of continued study and research to enable an eicient, clear and speedy response when the time comes. The environmental compensation in this case will have a medium multiplier. Part of this area is located within the boundaries of the sovereign waters and serves as a shipping corridor (the coastal corridor) linking between Israel’s ports, so that it is appropriate that any transportation within it should remain free and undisturbed.

5. The “Deep Sea” Area – covering 19,500 km2, 75% of the marine space, a single continuous area.

This spreads out in general from the edge of the continental slope up to the limit of the economic waters. This is a wide and deep area. Although, on the one hand, no vulnerable habitats have been identiied within it, on the other hand, our knowledge of this zone is limited. The proposed policy for this area will give high priority for a main exploration intended for human usage. In particular, this includes everything related to the exploration

48 The spatial structure

for energy sources already located within this area in very large quantities. In contrast to the marine protected area and the marine integrated area, the policy in this area will be re- sponsive. It will require a signiicant contribution to scientiic information and knowledge as part of the obligation of the initiating bodies, and will even condition the use or operation within this area on high environmental compensation. In order to complete the array of protected areas, some parts from the deep sea area will be used as exploration areas for its protected areas. This will be done both in continuation to the marine protected area and for the purpose of preserving deep sea habitats. The way to attain this goal is to designate large segments as protected areas, and create a network of protected areas. These are supposed to complete the total protected areas within the marine space up to about 10% of its area.

DISTINCTION BETWEEN AREAS WITHIN THE MARINE SPACE

Marine Protected Area Marine Shared Area Proactive policy. Proactive Policy. Search for areas designated for the Main search for marine energy protection of nature and landscape production and treatment infrastructure. values. Prevention of other human Secondary search for small uses that do not support preservation, infrastructure installations that study and research. free coastal land and risk radii. Environmental compensation – Environmental compensation – high multiplier. low multiplier.

49 The spatial structure

Shared-Protected Area Marine Horizon Area Reactive Policy. Mixed Policy. Allowing further protection and Main search for open view, public uses preservation needs and small-scale such as sailing and parasailing, tourism, limited human uses. heritage sites and underwater land- Environmental compensation – linked infrastructure. Secondary search medium multiplier. for large-scale infrastructure, deepwater port / airport, that need permanent land connection. Initiatives for segmental sea- coast National Outline Plans. Environmental compensation – high multiplier.

AREA

75 . 1% Deep Sea

The Deep Sea Area Marine shared 1 . 6% Reactive Policy. Marine Protected 10 . 3% Allowing energy exploration and Marine shared protected 10 . 4% production needs, pipes and cables, and Marine Horizon 2 . 6% deep sea protected areas. Environmental compensation – high multiplier.

50 THE MARINE AREAS MAP

51 The spatial structure

THE MARINE AREAS MAP

LEGEND Infrastructures / Uses Shipping routes Boundaries Closed areas – Order 100 Border of coastal waters Ports Border of EEZ Energy anchorages Border of Contiguous zone Anchorages Land by NOP 35 Commercial port area Energy port area Coastal texture Communication switchboards Roads Communication cables Rivers Areas Gas and petroleum infrastructures Petroleum and gas wells Marine protected Marine Shared Gas transmission pipeline infrastructure Deep sea Marine horizon Gas pipeline (existing) Marine shared protected Gas pipeline (planned) Bathymetry NOP 37/a/2 NOP 37/h – offshore complex Drilling rights Discharge areas (acidic sewage / earth) Discharge of excavation matter Fishing cages *NOP - National Outline Plan Desalination plant

Beyond these policy guidelines, due to the great complexity and the opposing pressures within the “Marine Horizon Area”, and the marine protected area located within the horizon area, the Israel Marine Plan recommends an urgent initiative to complete and expand the NOP 13 Mediterranean Coast segments that will comprise in a subdivision into 15 segments, the coastal texture and the coastal strips established in NOP 35 and the entire coastal horizon area. These sea-shore plans will concentrate on the sea and shore interfaces and the complex system of emphases described above.

52 PROPOSED NOP 13 Mateh Asher North SEA-SHORE DIVISION Nahariya

Mateh Asher South Acre

Haifa cities

Hof HaCarmel \ Jisr a-Zarka

Hadera

Emek Hefer

Netanya Hof HaSharon

Tel Aviv District

Rishon LeZion

Gan Raveh \ Yavne region

Ashdod

Hof Ashqelon North

Ashqelon

Hof Ashqelon South 53 The spatial structure

PROPOSED NOP 13 SEA-SHORE DIVISION

LEGEND

Boundaries NOP 13

Border of coastal waters NOP 13 in front of regional / local council Border of EEZ NOP 13 in front of cities Border of Contiguous zone Area without jurisdiction (on land) Statutory limits Onshore infrastructures

District boundary Shoreline Regional council Cities City / local council Roads

Streams *N0P - National Outline Plan

54 IMPLEMENTATION AND SUMMARY

55 Implementation and Summary

Monitoring implementation and updating the plan

Completing a full planning cycle of a irst comprehensive Israel Marine Plan, whose main principles are presented in this document, is an important step in promoting more ef- fective and balanced marine management of Israel’s marine environment. It is supported by a cross-disciplinary process, whereby many stakeholders are involved and project products are highly accessible across its preparation stages.

And yet, the completion of preparing the plan does not mark the end of the process. The test of the plan’s recommendations lays in their implementation by all the stakeholders of the marine space, irst and foremost governmental ministries and relevant government bodies. Implementation is not only the role of the government, but also that of legislators and courts, NGOs, the business sector (which has considerable power within the marine space), and local authorities. A central role to support for plan implementation is held by academia and various research institutes dealing with the marine space, which provide an accumulated database and expanded knowledge. To a great extent they also pave the way to legislation, planning, management and implementation. The plan presented here is the product of an extra-governmental academic initiative that is not binding, yet can ill the role of a roadmap and serve as a shadow-plan for the institutional processes that are gradually being formulated.

Since the test of the plan is in its implementation, the Israel Marine Plan recommends operational procedures for monitoring, controlling and updating the plan’s elements as a direct continuation to formulating its recommendations. Monitoring is proposed on the following levels:

1. Monitoring the state of the marine environment – examining accumulated information regarding the status of the marine environment as a basis for updating plan elements.

2. Monitoring uses and actions within the marine space and relevant developments – in such areas as additional discoveries of sources and resources, development of new technologies in such areas as the construction of platforms and artiicial islands, the production of renewable energies, climatic change, pollution events, geopolitical changes and others.

Monitoring the assimilation and application of the policy measures and of the spatially distinctive guidelines incorporated in the Israel Marine Plan and other plans – in the work of the ministries and governmental authorities and other stakeholders. This is done through a variety of policy measures, including: preparing operational plans in a large number of areas; continued research and expanding knowledge as well as its accessibility; instituting implementation mechanisms and legislative steps. Lastly, it will be done by implementing relevant components of the plan within policy documents, plans and laws already in preparation by government oices and organizations, such as those of the Minis- try of National Infrastructures, Energy and Water; the Planning Administration; the Minis- try of Justice; the Ministry of Environmental Protection; and designated ministries such as the Ministries of Agriculture, Security, Transportation, Education, Foreign Afairs, Health, Education and Science; as well as governmental companies and other governmental bodies.

56 Implementation and Summary

It is proposed that in parallel with the process whereby this plan or some other plan for the marine space is implemented, and as long as the National Board for Planning and Building shall see it to adopt their principles in whole or in part, then the Board shall initiate the formation of a system of indicators to carry out the various policy measures, based also on the experience accumulated in Israel and overseas regarding the development and application of such indicators. It is also proposed that the Board recommend, in coordination with other stakeholders, timelines that would be appropriate for implementing the policy measures.

This monitoring will constitute implementation of the planning principle as a cyclical process that updates and improves itself with developments in the condition and uses of the sea, as well as the accumulating information and knowledge.

In order to help create momentum in applying, monitoring and updating the plan, the Israel Marine Plan team is considering an option for continuing to carry out the following steps:

• Ongoing monitoring of implementation of plan elements and of developments and events pertaining to the marine space with respect to the plan and its policy measures, in such areas as: governance, regulation, research and knowledge, spatial planning, development plans and construction of infrastructures, environmental quality and relevant international developments.

• Periodic publication of the Israel Marine Plan – monitoring and updating report that includes indings from monitoring activities and where necessary – will update components or recommendations and policy measures.

• Continued periodic meetings of a stakeholder forum, in order to discuss the monitoring report and proposals for updating the Israel Marine Plan.

• An annual public conference on the subject of the Israeli marine space, and/ or a combination of planning and policy components; as well as participation and presentation in other relevant conferences.

• Updating the components of the Israel Marine Plan, both regarding policy measures and regarding the spatial structure based on the monitoring indings.

In parallel, the team is considering the possibility of continuing to develop auxiliary tools for planning and making information accessible via:

• Updating and perfecting GIS tools such as the “Platform” (“Asda”) – as a tool for planning, collaborating and managing the marine space. Adding to the information layers that are being updated and integrating advanced presentation tools such as MARXAN, VIZLAB, ARCGIS SERVER.

• Development and updating of the website – ongoing updating and uploading of all future contents to the website, so that they may be available to the general public and to stakeholders.

57 Implementation and Summary

Summary

The Israel Marine Plan strives to ill a void in the planning and management of Israel’s marine space within the Mediterranean Sea. The plan presents a new vision of “Israel’s New Map” where the marine space is an integral part of the Israeli space. The plan develops a vision, 12 goals and recommendations for detailed policy measures that can be promoted in order to eiciently and carefully exploit economic and social marine resources, to study, investigate and understand the secrets of the sea, and to preserve the values of nature, landscape and heritage, for this generation and for future generations.

The Israel Marine Plan suggests a spatial structure and a clear spatial image for Israel’s marine space that will make it possible to implement a consistent order of priorities between the varied policy measures, and integrate them in a synergetic way in order to attain the goals.

The plan proposes an ecology-based approach to planning, collaboration and management of the marine space, and has constructed for its implementation an interactive, participatory GIS-based tool - the ASDA. This tool has been used to communicate between consultants and stakeholders and can be developed into an ongoing planning, participation and management tool.

However, the formulation of the plan is not the end of the process. The real test of the plan is its implementation. It requires that all stakeholders - in the government, in the civil society, in the economic sector and in the general public - make a consistent efort and continue to monitor its application while periodically updating the plan itself.

We hope that all these will help any planning or management process of the Israeli marine space in the Mediterranean to integrate, accompany and support governmental and other initiatives. All of this is part of a common goal to create a marine plan which is comprehensive and science-based, and that will facilitate balanced, efective and sustainable management of Israel’s marine resources.

The plan’s Integrating Team members thank the group of excellent consultants, dedicated advisory committees, students and the many stakeholders who have taken part in formulating the plan. We thank the Technion, the Faculty of Architecture and Town Planning, the Klutznick Center for Urban and Regional Studies and all those who made the efort possible.

58 The Israel Marine Plan Team

Integrating Team Members: Professional Scientific Advisory Committee: Prof. Shamay Assif, Asst. Prof. Michelle Portman, • Major General (Res.) Ami Ayalon, Prof. Yuval Cohen, Dr. Ellik Adler, Dr. Idan Porat, Chairman of University of Haifa's executive committee Dr. Yael Tef-Seker, Varda Spier and the Ethos team – • Prof. Zvi Ben-Avraham, Director of the Leon Alon Perlman, Barak Katz, Tom Dror and Elad Shochat. Charney School of Marine Sciences, University of Haifa, Director of the Mediterranean Sea Research Assistants: Research Center of Israel Emri Brickner, Achituv Cohen, Dan Ross, • Prof. Nir Becker, Dean of the Faculty of Social Rinat Rizkov, Ziv Tamir, Lior Gutterman Sciences and the Humanities at Tel-Hai College • Prof. Ilana Berman-Frank, Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University Professional Consultants: • Prof. Barak Herut, CEO of IOLR Geology and geophysics: Dr. Ori Dor, Ecolog Engineering Ltd. • Dr. Gitai Yahel, Marine Sciences School, Ruppin Academic Center Bathymetry and morphology: Ronnie Sadeh, Yam-Yafo Ltd. • Dr. Oded Katz, Geological Survey of Israel Chemical oceanography: Dr. Efrat Medar • Prof. Boaz Lazar, Earth Science Institute, Hebrew University of Jerusalem Marine biology: Dr. Orit Barnea and Anat Tzemel • Baruch Peretzman, Head of Cartography, Dr. Dan Chernov, Leon Charney School of Marine Israel Mapping Center Sciences, University of Haifa • Prof. Maxim Shoshany, Faculty of Civil and Physical oceanography: Prof. Eliezer Kit, Dr. Ori Environmental Engineering, Technion – Israel Krushinsky, the Israel Institute for Marine Engineering Institute of Technology Research, Technion – Israel Institute of Technology • Dr. Nadav Shashar, Eilat Campus of Marine archaeology: Dr. Assaf Yasur-Landau, Ben-Gurion Negev University the Leon Recanati Institute for Maritime Studies and the Leon Charney School of Marine Sciences, University of Haifa International Advisory Committee: Fishing and mariculture: Prof. Amos Tandler • Arch. Charles N. Ehler, President, Ocean Visions Energy: Dr. Amit Mor and Shimon Seroussi, Consulting, France EcoEnergy Ltd. • Ms. Stephanie Moura, Managing Partner, Sea Plan, USA Marine transportation: Prof. Yehuda Hayut, the • Dr. Jens Enemark, Secretary Common Wadden Samuel Neeman Institute, Technion – Israel Institute Sea Secretariat, Germany of Technology • Prof. Kate Johnson, ICIT Orkney Campus Marine engineering: Avri Sheler and Advocate of Heriot-Watt University, Scotland, UK Orin Sheler, Bipol Energy Ltd. • Dr. Vanessa Stelzenmüller, Centre for Environment Law and Justice: Advocate Nadya Zimmerman, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, Germany Faculty of Law, University of Haifa • Dr. Jef Ardron, Institute for Advanced Security: Dr. Erez Sverdlov and Yaron Tzur, Matrix Ltd. Sustainability Studies (IASS), Germany Economics: Prof. Ezra Sadan and Ruth Lowenthal, • Dr. Priscilla Brooks, Vice-President and Director, Sadan-Lowenthal Ltd. Ocean Conservation, USA Climate change: Prof. Alon Angert, Earth Science Institute, Hebrew University of Jerusalem Graphic design and infographics: Roni Levit, Itamar Heifetz