A Review of Beach Bye-Law Usage in Supporting Coastal Management in Ireland

Coastal areas are commonly the focus of a range of human activities and uses. Beaches are one example of multi-use coastal environments, accommodating activities linked to leisure and recreation, amenity, conservation and business, often simultaneously. Ireland is no different in this regard, as its beach resources provide a range of goods and services of societal value. Ireland has 16 coastal counties and their associated local authorities have a beach management remit, a role that can present a number of challenges. The use of beach bye-laws is one option to support management of beach environments by local authorities. Local authority personnel tasked with beach management from each coastal local authority were surveyed to assess the actual and potential role of beach bye-laws in contributing to more effective management of beach environments and to broader coastal management. Usage of beach bye-laws varied across local authority areas and evidence suggested that the efficacy, use, and implementation of beach bye-laws differed from county to county. Beach bye-laws offer potential but interaction with other initiatives as part of a wider program for coastal management may yield improved results.     

Environmental Protection in Coastal Recreation Sites in Antalya,Turkey

This study was designed to evaluate different approaches to the protection of the environments of coastal recreation sites in and around Antalya, Turkey. Data was collected by means of a survey of coastal recreation sites and six categories were evaluated: environmental protection, infrastructure facilities, water conservation, energy conservation, waste management, and protection of the natural environment. The results indicated that there was a clear motivation among site managers or authorities for environmental protection (p < .05), infrastructure facilities (p < .001), water conservation (p < .05), energy conservation (p < .05) and the protection of the natural environment (p < .001) but waste management was not accorded a priority. The quality of coastal recreation largely relies on the attractiveness and naturalness of the environment. Although good quality site management largely depends on the awareness and willingness of individual site managers, more proactive approaches toward better environmental protection of recreation sites along the Turkish Mediterranean coast might be effective in improving their sustainable use, particularly in the absence of proper site planning.     

Land use implications of sea level rise: A case study at myrtle beach,South Carolina

Abstract

the prospect of global warming and consequent sea level rise will have important implications for coastal communities. this article examines the land use implications of alternate sea level rise scenarios on the city of myrtle beach, south carolina. current trends as well as high and low sea level rise scenarios are superimposed on the city's beach profile and near shore contours to estimate the type and value of land development likely to be impacted.

It is found that losses associated with accelerated sea level rise would be particularly high in the city's hotel district and that overall property loss could range from 21 to 60% of the city's total property value. to lessen these potential losses, coastal communities such as myrtle beach must choose among one of three policy options including: (1) barricade the beach, (2) raise the land, and (3) implement a strategic retreat. specific alternatives within each of these options are explored in turn. the article concludes that successful development plans will incorporate ground rules sensitive to and consistent with dynamic coastal processes.     

Evaluation of manatee habitat systems on the northwestern Florida coast

Abstract

Threats to the survival of West Indian manatees (Trichechus manatus) vary throughout their range so that protection of this endangered species requires careful planning on a regional and local basis. The importance and vulnerability of various components of manatee habitats in the Crystal River area of northwestern Florida were assessed, using an ordinal‐combination mapping technique similar to procedures practiced in urban and regional planning. Habitat components were mapped and evaluated in juxtaposition with relevant characteristics of human use of the area, to identify areas of existing and potential manatee/human conflicts in need of reconciliation. Areas evaluated as the most important manatee habitats within this region include Crystal Bay and River, Homosassa River, and the Suwannee River estuary. Existing overlap of human activities with important manatee habitats is most critical near the urban communities of Crystal River and, to a lesser degree, Homosassa Springs. The need for integration of this ecological information into coastal land‐use planning is discussed.     

Economic Valuation of Coastal and Marine Resources: Bohol Marine Triangle,Philippines

This article provides results on the net benefits generated from the natural resources in the Bohol Marine Triangle (BMT) in the Philippines. The BMT spans over 112,000 ha and its coastal ecosystems are rich in biodiversity and provide economic opportunities to the coastal communities. With a 10% discount rate, the accumulated total net benefits for the BMT resources over a 10-year period is US$11.54 million. Tourism and the municipal fisheries are the most important direct use values of the coastal and marine resources of the BMT accounting for 44% and 39% of the total net benefits. Annual revenues attributed to ecosystems were as follows: coral reefs, US$1.26 million; beach/intertidal area, US$1.12 million; marine waters, US$646,501; mangrove, US$239,561; and seagrass, US$105,990. The large market values indicate the dependence of the local community on the BMT coastal and marine resources. In the same way, non-market values show the important life-support functions of coastal and marine ecosystems. The net benefits reflect the magnitude of potential losses due to improper management of coastal and marine resources in the BMT. This valuation highlights the importance of the coastal services to the BMT economy and draws attention to the benefits the local stakeholders derive from BMT coastal resources. Policy measures can now take into account these values to justify a sufficient investment in coastal management efforts to sustain the flow of coastal services in the interest of current and future generations.     

Classification of Beach Erosion Vulnerability on the Yucatan Coast

Beach erosion can have important socioeconomic and environmental consequences, particularly in tropical regions where tourism is a significant source of income. Although caused by natural processes, erosion is often aggravated by disorderly anthropogenic modification of the coast and extreme events. In Yucatan, Mexico, increasing urban development and deficient coastal management strategies as well as hurricanes have affected beach stability. This has highlighted the need for adequate coastal planning and policies that ensure the protection of key coastal ecosystems, such as beaches and sand dunes. To address this, a methodology to classify the coast according to its vulnerability is presented in this work. This methodology assumes that morphological features are indicators of beach evolution and the processes driving it and that these can be associated with different levels of vulnerability. The features considered are beach width, dune vegetation, anthropogenic pressure, and shoreline orientation, which were analyzed through aerial images and a multicriteria evaluation. It was observed that the most vulnerable areas are found near the most developed parts of the coast, where narrow beaches with little dune vegetation dominate. It is expected that this index will be of use to coastal planners and decision makers, particularly in the identification of critical zones.     

江苏沿海滩涂资源利用现状及其存在的问题

沿海滩涂是江苏重要的后备土地资源,滩涂围垦在为江苏沿海经济发展、缓解人口增长压力、保持耕地总量动态平衡等方面做出重要贡献的同时,对沿海湿地及生态系统也带来了一定的影响。文章主要介绍了江苏沿海滩涂开发利用现状和围垦开发后期所带来的一系列问题,并从土地可持续利用的角度初步探讨了滩涂资源合理开发利用的对策和建议。     

Information Presentation of Coastal Morphological Change: Potential Implications for Perceptions of Climate Change Impacts

Visual imagery of costal morphological change processes must be accompanied by supporting information to make change processes understandable. We explored the influence of supporting information (graphs and numeric values) on perceptions of coastal morphological change processes through an experiment delivered to coastal recreationists. Supporting information was presented alongside four imagery types: human perspective digital elevation models (DEMs), human perspective digital photographs, aerial views of DEMs and aerial photography. We found neither the use of graphs nor numeric values influenced respondents' perceptions of coastal environmental change. However, perceptions varied significantly across imagery type; human perspective digital photographs and aerial photographs yielded higher ratings compared to human perspective DEMs and aerial views of DEMs. The results suggest supporting information representing increasingly severe rates of beach erosion and shoreline movement does not translate into perceptions of increasingly dramatic geophysical processes; this is consistent with previous empirical findings. The results also suggest individuals perceive coastal change processes as more severe when those processes are presented through photographs, particularly aerial photographs. Scientists, educators and coastal land use managers struggling to communicate the magnitude and severity associated with coastal geophysical processes are advised to use comparative aerial photography when possible.     

Dynamite Fishing in a Marine Protected Area in Tanzania: Why Youth Perceptions Matter

Young men in coastal Tanzania are often blamed for damaging marine habitats by engaging in unsustainable and destructive fishing practices, including dynamite fishing, but their perceptions have not been sufficiently documented. While marine scientists, international environmental NGOs, and activists have called attention to the destructive fishing practices’ devastating impacts, insights into the contextual factors that motivate those who engage in dynamite fishing are limited. Additionally, risk perceptions and concerns regarding the environmental impact and dangers of dynamite fishing among the youth are also understudied. This paper provides ethnographic insights into the historical and contextual factors underlying dynamite fishing in rural coastal Mtwara. It draws on ethnographic data gathered through participant observation, focus group discussions and in-depth interviews with residents from two neighboring coastal villages – one located inside a marine protected area (MPA), and another located outside the MPA’s boundary. The paper first examines the views of elderly men and women to provide the historical context of dynamite fishing in coastal Mtwara. It then juxtaposes youth perceptions regarding marine conservation and dynamite fishing in the two villages, vis-à-vis ongoing efforts to curb destructive fishing practices and to enhance marine biodiversity and ecotourism in the region. Results of the study reveal that unresolved tensions between the MPA authorities and local fishers surrounding enforcement practices and unfulfilled gear-exchange-related promises, and allegations of poor governance, are important contextual factors in the persistence of dynamite fishing. The paper concludes by articulating possible remedial measures to mitigate the tensions between youth concerns about their livelihoods, and the goals of marine biodiversity conservation as a way forward in preventing dynamite fishing.     

Designing Coastal Management Strategies for Populations with Distinct Needs: The Case of Learning Disabilities

The Disability Discrimination Act (1995, amended 2005), Equality Act (2010 Equality Act. 2010. Equality Act. http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2010/15/contents#openingWholeMod (accessed May 17, 2012) [Google Scholar]), EU Disability Action Plan (2003 –2010), and EU Disability Strategy (2010–2020) were designed to make equal opportunities a “reality.” As 16% of the EU population, is statutorily disabled there are considerable implications for beach management. Research examples of beach users include swimmers, anglers, etc. - but rarely people with learning disabilities (LD). This paper considered beach users with LD and their appreciation of three different coastal classifications in South Wales. Because of their disabilities, the research applied a participatory photo interpretation methodology (photovoice). A comparison of the LD ranking of beach issues was made with rankings provided by the general public at the same beaches. Results demonstrated some similarities between LD and general public coastal needs, but identified the need for specific considerations to be made by beach managers for LD users, including informed self-advocacy, use/application of signage, instructive access and a requirement for baseline information gathering. The research proposes an integrated coastal access model from which coastal management/gatekeepers can consider LD needs within coastal strategies. Finally, findings highlight the use of photovoice in coastal research projects and the need for innovative methodological considerations when researching certain groups.     

几种典型海滩平衡剖面模型中参数意义的探讨

海滩平衡剖面是海岸近岸过程研究的一个重要概念,在海岸工程中有应用价值。通过分析认为粤东后江湾的海滩剖面处于动态平衡状态。应用Dean、Bodge和Lee等3种海滩平衡剖面模型对后江湾的海滩剖面数据进行拟合,并从地形动力学的角度对拟合结果进行了分析解释,结果表明3个模型中的参数分别包含有波浪周期或波长、剖面变化渐近深度、海滩反射性等物理意义。这可为海岸工程设计确定近岸水下地形轮廓提供重要的依据。     

Development of Beach Analysis Tools for Caribbean Small Islands

Beach erosion presents a hazard to coastal tourism facilities, which provide the main economic thrust for most Caribbean small islands (CSIs). Ad hoc approaches to addressing this problem have given way to the integrated coastal zone management (ICZM) approach, which recommends data collection, analysis of coastal processes, and assessment of impacts. UNESCO's Coast and Beach Stability in the Caribbean (COSALC) project has provided most CSIs with an opportunity to monitor their beaches and collect over 10 years of data. Research has been directed at integrating these data with geographic information systems (GIS) and other information technologies to develop a prototype beach analysis and management system (BAMS) for CSIs. This article presents the results of phase I development of this effort, which includes the development of tools for integrating spatial and non-spatial coastal data, estimating long-term beach erosion/accretion and sand volume change trends at individual beaches, identifying erosion-sensitive beaches, and mapping beach erosion hazards. The Southeast Peninsula, St. Kitts, is used as a case study to develop these tools and demonstrate system functionality.     

Managing Shoreline Change Under Increasing Sea-Level Rise in Ghana

Relative sea-level rise will affect vulnerable coastal communities globally. Quantifying this effect on the coastal environment and infrastructure provides critical information that enables coastal managers to develop sustainable mitigation and adaptation measures. Modeling applications have enabled the past, present, and future trends in shoreline morphology to be investigated in detail. Predictive numerical models depend largely on the reliability of the input data. This article reports on using the Soft Cliff and Platform Erosion (SCAPE) numerical model to simulate future shoreline evolution trend in the central Accra coast in Ghana. The model input parameters include historic shoreline recession rates, wave data, tidal data, bathymetry, beach volume, beach topography, historic relative sea-level rise rates, and the shoreline orientation. The data fed the SCAPE numerical model which simulated the emergence of soft rock shore profiles over timescale of decades to centuries, to project future positions of the central Accra shoreline for the next 100 years under different scenarios of climate change. Simulated future shoreline positions overlaid on a 2005 orthophoto map of Accra enabled vulnerable areas and infrastructure at risk to be identified. It emerged that a highly populated community in central Accra will be inundated by 2065, while the Rivera beach resort will be eroded from 2035. A natural fish landing site in Osu (suburb in Accra) will be lost from 2045. The study has demonstrated that considerable ecological, economic, social, and national losses should be expected within the next century. Shoreline change management options should be explored to help mitigate the expected impact of the sea-level rise.     

An Interdisciplinary Analysis of Beach Management in the Catalan Coast (North-Western Mediterranean)

This article presents a comprehensive analysis of beach management in the Catalan coast (NW Mediterranean) by introducing and integrating results from different partial projects. They analyzed the legal, political, and administrative framework of beach management, the quality tools available, the practices of management, the processes of beach use, and beach waste/litter dynamics. The information obtained served to create a new beach management tool referred to as the Beach Quality Index, which was developed by an interdisciplinary team of academics from the natural/physical sciences and social sciences that worked together during the course of four years. Information obtained from users and key stakeholders served to create the index. The study demonstrated that as a consequence of the shortcomings in the legal and administrative system as well as inadequate practices of beach managers, beach management in the area experiences coordination problems, insufficient information and lack of proactive management, pollution, and in general problems associated with the satisfaction of short-term user demands.     

Information Management in Beach Planning

Abstract

This article concerns optimizing the use of environmental information for creative planning. It arose from a detailed study of the status and management of the coastal dunes of New South Wales, Australia, and discusses the way in which ideas for optimizing the management process were developed, and applied to three beach environments on the coast of New South Wales, Australia.

The problem of coastal beach/dune management may be thought of as being similar to a production function in which the inputs are the land resource, the skills and knowledge of managers, finance, and materiel. The outcomes are in the form of experiences, or opportunities for experiences, either passive or active, either consumption values or option values, desired by the coastal user population (which includes the resource managers themselves). The resource manager's task is to manipulate the “production function”; in order that the outputs will best mesh with the expectations of the user population and with the capability of the land resource to deliver on a sustained basis. An aim of the project was to develop a method for the specification of different possible outputs from the production function, in different beach/dune environments, and that could be used to assist in the preparation of advice on appropriate recreational development, allowing decisions to be based on both environmental data and information on the expectations, activities, and amenity preferences of beach users.     

The Methodologies of Empowerment? A Systematic Review of the Deployment of Participation in the Coastal Zone Management Literature

Participation (e.g., stakeholder involvement) has become a central concept in the practice of environmental and coastal zone management. Research has shown that the integration of participation in coastal zone management has positive ecological and social outcomes. In the literature, however, participation is often reported in an unstructured and uncritical manner. Therefore, to find out whether and how there is a useful way to structure and characterize the way the coastal zone management literature deals with participation, we have conducted a literature review. The review was conducted and the literature structured through three central dimensions of participation, namely: power, knowledge, and (visions of) nature. The article concludes that this structured approach to participation enables us to study more systematically the role of participation and might facilitate the governance and learning processes of coastal networks.     

Dolphin Liberation in Korea: Is it Beneficial for Conservation?

The release of captive dolphins (Tursiops aduncus) from South Korean marine parks, which occurred in 2013, 2015, and 2017, is described and evaluated for its usefulness for conservation of coastal ecosystems. The campaign to free the dolphins created a flagship species, uniting the efforts of national government agencies, local government, and NGOs. However, the Korean management agencies framed the release as a species-specific conservation intervention, while the NGOs brought forward welfare-based demands for the curtailment of cetacean captivity. We argue that the release of the Korean dolphins changed the policy climate, to facilitate two major policy changes: revision of anti-whaling regulations to prohibit capture of cetaceans for exhibit, and improvement of regulations for rescue, rehabilitation, and release of stranded marine animals. Tradeoffs between welfare and conservation concerns are described in terms of risk for the management agency, welfare for the animals, and feasibility of a continued commitment to maintain the viability of the dolphin stock in the wild. The release of captive animals to their native range relies on a single-species conservation focus which poses little risk for management agencies but does not guarantee their continued commitment.     

漳州南太武海滩泥化综合整治

南太武海滩前部水域浪小流弱,九龙江和近岸陆域排洪排污对海滩直接影响较大,造成严重的沙滩泥化和环境问题。面对复杂的外部边界条件,综合海岸动力学、生态学、环境学等多学科的方法,统筹城市排洪排污需求和景观生态需要,分析沙滩泥化的现状和机理,从技术、经济和生态方面论证了治理方案的可行性,并创新性探索减淤屏在整治海滩泥化工程设计中的应用。     

Marine and coastal protected areas in Latin America: A preliminary assessment

Abstract

One approach to the management of coastal and marine areas is the establishment of protected areas (e.g., reserves, parks, sanctuaries). Under the general rubric of “marine reserves,”; this paper examines the Latin American experience with this strategy. A comprehensive table lists most, if not all, national or state declared parks or reserves. The table is organized by country. All Latin American nations have, to a varying extent, declared marine parks and protected areas. The authors review the sources or uses which have been “managed”; by marine reserves, the management approaches, uses, and problem which have been identified in achieving management objectives. The authors conclude with observations about the potential future utility of marine reserves as a management approach for areas and resources of the coastal and littoral zones of Latin America.