Master‘s thesis Towards a Marine Spatial Plan for the Westfjords of Iceland Abby Sullivan Advisor: Dr. Lorraine Gray University of Akureyri Faculty of Business and Science University Centre of the Westfjords Master of Resource Management: Coastal and Marine Management Ísafjörður, May 2011 Supervisory Committee Advisor: Lorraine Gray, Phd. Reader: Sigríður Kristjánsdóttir, Phd. Program Director: Dagný Arnarsdóttir, MSc. Abby Sullivan Towards a Marine Spatial Plan for the Westfjords of Iceland 60 ECTS thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of a Master of Resource Management degree in Coastal and Marine Management at the University Centre of the Westfjords, Suðurgata 12, 400 Ísafjörður, Iceland Degree accredited by the University of Akureyri, Faculty of Business and Science, Borgir, 600 Akureyri, Iceland Copyright © 2011 Abby Sullivan All rights reserved Printing: Háskólaprent, Reykjavik, May 2011 Declaration I hereby confirm that I am the sole author of this thesis and it is a product of my own academic research. _________________________________________ Student‘s name Abstract Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) is widely recognized as being a key step to achieving ecosystem-based ocean and coastal management. It is a process that borrows tools from terrestrial planning, but that must also be adapted to address the unique challenges and qualities of the marine environment. It involves gathering spatial information in order to better visualize and understand the marine environment and to better inform management decisions that plan for the future. Recent interest sparked MSP initiatives around the world, most notably in Europe. Iceland, a country that has always depended on the sea for survival and which today still relies heavily on living marine resources, lacks an integrated management framework. To investigate which methods of MSP would be best suited for the Westfjords, this paper reviewed the current literature, compared MSP around the world in case studies, and trialled some of these methods in a small pilot area in Isafjarðardjúp (a large fjords system in the Westfjords). The results suggest that current conflicts on the water usually involve the fishing and aquaculture sector and that increased conflict in the future is expected as new technologies emerge (such as the wet renewables sector). It was established during the project that job creation, sustainable development and increasing the population are key values and objectives in the region. Information was gathered from interviews with local experts and GIS was then used to create maps to capture their knowledge on spatial use. Methods were then recommended to continue the MSP process in the Westfjords. In conclusion, MSP provides potential benefits and opportunities for reduced conflict and sustainable development through a better-informed and more efficient management regime in the Westfjords. Table of Contents List of Figures ............................................................................................... xii List of Maps ................................................................................................. xiii Acronyms ..................................................................................................... xiv Acknowledgements..................................................................................... xvii 1 Introduction .................................................................................................1 1.1 The Need for Ecosystem-based, Integrated Coastal and Ocean Management........................................................................................................... 1 1.2 What is Marine Spatial Planning? ....................................................................... 3 1.3 The Need for Marine Spatial Planning in Iceland .............................................. 4 1.4 Outputs of Marine Spatial Planning .................................................................... 5 1.5 Thesis Objectives and Outcomes .......................................................................... 5 1.6 Thesis Organization............................................................................................... 6 2 Theoretical Overview..................................................................................7 2.1 Literature Review .................................................................................................. 7 2.1.1 Introduction ....................................................................................................7 2.1.2 What Marine Spatial Planning Should Achieve.............................................8 2.2 Marine Spatial Planning Policy Review............................................................. 16 2.2.1 International Policy ......................................................................................16 2.2.2 Regional Policy ............................................................................................18 2.2.3 Policy in Iceland...........................................................................................19 2.3 Comparative Analysis.......................................................................................... 19 2.3.1 Choosing the Marine Spatial Planning Case Studies ...................................20 2.3.2 Marine Spatial Planning in the Shetland Islands..........................................21 2.3.3 Marine Spatial Planning in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park .................31 2.3.4 Marine Spatial Planning in the Belgium Part of the North Sea ...................38 2.3.5 Marine Spatial Planning in the Norwegian Sea ...........................................46 2.4 Technology for Marine Spatial Planning........................................................... 54 3 Research Methods .....................................................................................57 3.1 Introduction.......................................................................................................... 57 3.2 Determining the Pilot Study Location................................................................ 58 3.3 Determining Stakeholders and Interviewing Techniques................................ 59 3.4 Determining the Local Context and Conflicts within Isafjarðardjúp............. 59 3.5 Mapping................................................................................................................ 60 3.6 Data Scoping......................................................................................................... 60 3.6.1 Filling in the Gaps........................................................................................60 ix 4 Results - Pilot Study of Marine Spatial Planning in Isafjarðardjúp ... 61 4.1 Background and Context .................................................................................... 61 4.1.1 The Need for Marine Spatial Planning in Iceland and the Westfjords ........ 61 4.1.2 History, Heritage and Fishing in Iceland ..................................................... 61 4.1.3 Aquaculture in Iceland................................................................................. 62 4.1.4 Tourism in Iceland ....................................................................................... 63 4.1.5 Threats to the Marine Environment ............................................................. 65 4.1.6 Sector-by-sector Management in Iceland’s Ocean ...................................... 67 4.1.7 Planning in the Icelandic Marine Environment ........................................... 67 4.1.8 Planning in the ocean in the Westfjords....................................................... 68 4.2 The Ecosystem and its Users............................................................................... 68 4.2.1 Scope of the Project ..................................................................................... 69 4.2.2 Sectors and Users in Isafjarðardjúp ............................................................. 71 4.3 Issues and Conflicts ............................................................................................. 71 4.3.1 Conflict Between Users ............................................................................... 72 4.3.2 Conflicts Between Users and the Environment ........................................... 73 4.3.3 Important Sites ............................................................................................. 76 4.3.4 Additional Potential Conflicts...................................................................... 77 4.4 Mapped Uses and Elements of the Marine Environment ................................ 79 4.4.1 Discussion on Mapping................................................................................ 86 5 Conclusions and Recommendations ....................................................... 87 5.1 Recommendations................................................................................................ 88 5.1.1 Place-based Regions .................................................................................... 88 5.1.2 Establish a Lead Authority and Gauge Support........................................... 89 5.1.3 Organize Stakeholders and Develop the Process......................................... 90 5.1.4 Continued Stakeholder Involvement............................................................ 91 5.1.5 Determine Objectives, Values and Parameters............................................ 92 5.1.6 Collect and Collate Data and Spatial Information ......................................