Central Considerations in Initiating and Operating Programmes in Integrated Coastal Management

Abstract

Integrated coastal management can be defined as a continuous and dynamic process by which decisions are made for the sustainable use, development, and protection of coastal and marine areas and resources. First and foremost, the process is designed to overcome the fragmentation inherent in both the sectoral management approach and the splits in jurisdiction among levels of government at the land-water interface. This is done by ensuring that the decisions of all sectors (e.g., fisheries, oil and gas production, water quality) and all levels of government are harmonized and consistent with the coastal policies of the nation in question. A key part of ICM is the design of institutional processes to accomplish this harmonization in a politically acceptable manner.