Integrated Coastal Management in Philippine Local Governance: Evolution and Benefits

In 1991 the Philippine government shifted many coastal management responsibilities to local governments and fostered increased local participation in the management of coastal resources. In their delivery of integrated coastal management (ICM) as a basic service, many local governments have achieved increasing public awareness of coastal resource management (CRM) issues. Continuing challenges are financial sustainability, inadequate capacities, weak law enforcement, and lack of integrated and collaborative efforts. To address these challenges, a CRM certification system was developed to improve strategies and promote incentives for local governments to support ICM. This system is being applied by an increasing number of local governments to guide the development and implementation of ICM in their jurisdiction. The CRM benchmarks required for a local government to achieve the first level of certification are: budget allocated, CRM related organizations formed and active, CRM plan developed and adopted, shoreline management initiated and two or more best practices implemented. Implementation is providing tangible benefits to communities through enhanced fisheries production associated with MPAs, revenues from user fees and enhanced community pride through learning exchanges and involvement in decisions, among others.     

Analysis of Ocean-Space and Sea-Level Rise Policy in Two Coastal Cities

Global sea-level rise (SLR) is among the most alarming aspects of anthropogenic climate change. The human impacts of SLR are experienced unequally between and within municipalities. Existing research has identified social variables that predict municipal adoption of adaptive SLR policy, but this work does not account for the locally specific social factors that shape particular policies to fit particular cases. This study describes social conceptions of the ocean and SLR policy for two coastal cities in western Washington: Aberdeen and Bainbridge Island. Examining conceptions of marine spaces provides insight into the complex process by which local physical and socio-demographic characteristics shape local policy. The study uses a grounded theoretical approach to content analyses, resulting in localized typologies of marine spaces as well as SLR policy profiles for each case. Results indicate that municipalities vary by both social conception of the ocean and SLR policy form. These findings elaborate upon the relationship between socioeconomic conditions and municipal climate change policy adoption, suggesting that in local media and policy discourse, the absence of relevant resources is related to adversarial conceptions of local marine spaces, while abundance of relevant resources is associated with a conception of marine spaces as natural resources.     

Integrated Coastal Management in the Philippines: Testing New Paradigms

With fisheries declining, coral reefs battered, mangrove forests under threat, pollution levels rising, and coastal communities experiencing increased poverty, the Philippines faces severe challenges in managing its coastal resources. Coastal management efforts began in the Philippines more than 20 years ago through various community-based projects. Now, integrated coastal management is expanding in the country and holds the potential to reverse the trends. This article analyzes the situation in relation to new approaches for coastal management being undertaken through the Coastal Resource Management Project supported by the United States Agency for International Development implemented by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. This project, drawing on the lessons generated by past and ongoing coastal management initiatives, is emphasizing integrated approaches to management over narrowly focused fisheries management and habitat protection efforts. It highlights the increasingly important role of local governments and the changing roles of national government to effectively support integrated coastal management. Multisectoral collaboration is explained as standard procedure to achieve outcomes that are broad based and sustainable. Local and national level activities are contrasted and shown as essential complements in building institutionalization of resources management within all levels of government. A practical result framework is explained for measuring relative success at the local government level of implementing best practices for coastal management. Finally, lessons being learned related to collaboration, level of focus, education, and communication; who is responsible; and expansion of the project are highlighted.     

Abrolhos 2000 : Conserving the Southern Atlantic's Richest Coastal Biodiversity into the Next Century

The Abrolhos bank, an area of continental shelf off the coast of Bahia, Brazil, has the most biologically diverse coral reefs in the entire southern Atlantic Ocean. The coral reefs and nearby coastal ecosystems constitute a global conservation priority and are the target of the Abrolhos 2000 project, initiated by Conservation International as part of its global marine conservation strategy. Although portions of the Abrolhos reefs are located within a marine park, they are not afforded adequate protection due to insufficient conservation resources and a failure to be part of a broader integrated coastal management program. Through partnerships with government agencies, nongovernmental organizations, local communities, the private sector, and other stakeholders, Abrolhos 2000 is working to provide these needs while establishing local capacity for conserving coastal and marine ecosystems. The project's initial successes provide examples of useful strategies for making integrated coastal management work in the context of emerging economies.     

The social and political economy of coastal zone management: Shrimp mariculture in Ecuador

Abstract

The paper examines the applicability of First World CZM policy for the Third World by focusing on Ecuador's shrimp mariculture, an industry whose explosive growth has reshaped the coastal zone and generated problems threatening loss of the resource base itself. This has led to recognized need for CZM and movement by development agencies to transfer the CZ policies of developed countries. Against this background, the analysis explores local concepts of investment and conservation, the role of government and law, and the influence of the social economy on mariculture development. It illuminates how local use and management of coastal resources is inseparable from specifically Ecuadorean cultural concepts, institutions, and practices. This places in relief the salient differences between management in the First and Third Worlds, illuminating how coastal zone management must not only be internally consistent, but cognizant of and integrated into the prevailing social, economic, and political conditions.     

Institutional and Conceptual Barriers to Climate Change Adaptation for Coastal Cultural Heritage

Climate change is increasing the speed at which tangible coastal cultural heritage is changing in character or being lost through weathering, erosion, and inundation. Damages to coastal archeological sites, loss of access to historical sites, and the alteration of cultural landscapes will force changes in the way researchers can study sites, tourists can enjoy places, and descendant communities who have lived in particular areas for time immemorial, and local community members can utilize and relate to landscapes. In the USA, the National Park Service is a primary coastal cultural resource management organization. The National Park Service has been working on climate change adaptation for cultural resources for over a decade; however, there are few examples of parks in which long range climate change adaptation plans for cultural resources have been implemented. Building from 20 semi-structured interviews with cultural resource managers in three parks, we found that institutional structures within the National Park Service, as well as historical conceptual framings specific to the research, recreational, and interpretive values of cultural resources act as barriers to managers’ ability to design and implement climate change adaptation plans. Institutional barriers managers discussed include the dependence of climate change adaptation decisions partnership projects and the leveraging of budgetary and staff resources within NPS that may affect climate change adaptation capacity. We found that park managers often saw impacts in parks that may be associated with climate change, but found it difficult to separate normal maintenance from climate change affected deterioration, which may lead to status quo management actions rather than revised planning for a changing future regime. Conceptual barriers managers discussed revealed a conflict between preservation needs of research versus interpretive uses and while NPS guidance recommends prioritization of cultural resources for preservation at the park level, regional managers were more focused on this topic than park managers. As NPS moves forward with climate change adaptation planning, opportunities to develop and improve cultural resource preservation with new technologies, improved prioritization schemes, and include public input in resource preservation may help coastal managers overcome these barriers.     

Sustainable Governance of Norwegian Aquaculture and the Administrative Reform: Dilemmas and Challenges

This article discusses the impact of the Norwegian government's administrative reform on the management of the Norwegian aquaculture industry and coastal areas. The 2010 reform of government administration strengthened the County Councils’ role in issues of aquaculture at the expense of the regional offices of the Directorate of Fisheries. The aim of the reform was to increase self-governance through decentralization. However, international trends in coastal zone and marine resource management are moving in the opposite direction, aiming at more integrated and ecosystem-based approaches involving the management of larger, rather than smaller, geographic regions. This article examines the possible effects of this reform in light of the move from government to governance, and in the context of a broad policy shift toward a more integrated, ecosystem-based management (EBM) of the coastal zone. Based on insights from multi-level and coastal zone governance debates, we argue that an unintended consequence of the Norwegian administrative reform could be increased fragmentation of the aquaculture governance system, as well as a reduced capacity to implement EBM-related measures. At the same time, the reform might improve coastal zone planning, although a further step toward integrated coastal zone management (ICZM) would require a greater delegation of authority to the County Councils.     

Decentralized Coastal Zone Management in Malaysia and Indonesia: A Comparative Perspective 1

Transferring decision-making process from central to local government and enhancing the role of local communities in managing coastal zones is an increasing commitment by governments in Southeast Asia. This article analyzes decentralized coastal zone management in two neighboring countries, Malaysia and Indonesia. The Federal system in Malaysia is argued to be able to influence more decentralized coastal zone management and to promote community-based management approaches. Meanwhile, the large diversity of coastal resources and communities combined with a still as yet tested decentralization policy in Indonesia is argued to bring more challenges in implementing the decentralization and community-based approaches in coastal zones. The lessons learned in this study provide insight in how far decentralized coastal zone management has taken place in Malaysia and Indonesia. The significant differences in the pattern of coastal zone management in these two countries are discussed in detail. This study recognizes that co-management and community-based approaches can be appropriate in dealing with coastal zone management. This comparative perspective is important to the development of a bigger picture of sustainable coastal zone management processes and cross-regional knowledge-sharing in Southeast Asia.     

Helping Communities Adapt and Plan for Coastal Hazards: Coastal Zone Management Program Recommendations for National Tool Developers

Adapting to changing coastlines is an unprecedented planning challenge as coastal hazards, including those associated with climate change, influence all areas of resource management. Tools have been developed to aid in understanding coastal hazards and to facilitate the planning and implementation of adaptation strategies. Through interviews with members of eight geographically distributed state Coastal Zone Management (CZM) Programs and several federal and nonprofit partners, we explored the utility of current tools for on-the-ground adaptation planning and implementation needs. State CZM Programs operate as trusted information brokers at the nexus between national resources and local needs. Here we provide seven recommendations for how to overcome the challenges identified with tool discovery, lack of trust, and the coarse spatial resolution of national tools. Our findings suggest local community needs are better addressed when end-users play a role in the tool development process. We also recommend leveraging CZM Program connections because they have the knowledge and expertise to identify solutions and disseminate information. While the recommendations presented here were taken from the perspective of state CZM Programs regarding coastal tools, the lessons learned may provide valuable insight into the tool development process for other resource management fields.     

An Institutional Model for Comanagement of Coastal Resources in Fiji

In light of increasingly depleted coastal resources under the current management structure, this article explores the institutional arrangements that would be necessary in Fiji to create and implement a viable comanagement regime that would devolve some of the responsibility for management to the communities. Based on the literature concerning institutions for comanagement and the present situation and the institutional management structure in Fiji, it is recommended that government act as the catalyst by putting forth an enabling policy framework for comanagement that formally recognizes customary marine tenure. Such a policy should allow communities to derive bylaws from local rules, through shared management and technical assistance at the provincial level. At this same administrative level, planning units are recommended to coordinate government management of activities in the coastal zone.     

Sasi and Marine Conservation in Raja Ampat,Indonesia

Raja Ampat, Indonesia, possesses the greatest diversity of corals and reef fishes on the planet. The area is a priority for marine conservation for the provincial government, local communities, and major international nongovernmental organizations such as The Nature Conservancy and Conservation International. Traditional marine resource management practices in the region, referred to as sasi, have the potential to support conservation objectives. This article contends that while traditional marine resource management systems may support conservation, they must be reinforced by a supportive social structure and governance system to remain relevant in a rapidly changing world. Two villages in Raja Ampat were studied to gain a better understanding of sasi and how this practice has been affected by cultural, political, and economic change. These villages illustrate how the role of religious authorities, access to alternative livelihoods, proximity to urban centers, and capacity for monitoring and enforcement may influence the effectiveness of marine resource management systems. Our research suggests that the continued relevance of sasi in marine resource management relies on the support of influential local leaders and businesses and government regulations that reinforce traditional resource use practices.     

Conservation and development in Oregon's coastal zone

Abstract

Coastal zone management in Oregon is based on the state's general land‐use law. This body of law is designed to deal with population increase, urbanization, and preservation of agricultural land, as well as with other problems throughout the state. Early planning and policy recommendations for the coast were in the hands of a commission having predominantly local membership. This commission produced an extensive series of studies, policies, and recommendations which were assembled as a proposed management tool for natural resources. Staff of the commission was then absorbed into the state land‐management agency, which developed final goals and guidelines for compliance with the Coastal Zone Management Act. Adoption of the coastal goals in December 1976 has triggered deadlines for local government compliance within the coastal zone. The management program is now undergoing federal review.     

The Role of Universities in Supporting Integrated Coastal Management in the United Kingdom

Integrated coastal management has been seen as the way to deal with the challenges currently facing managers of our coastal zones. In the tropics, these areas are typified with resources such as coral reefs and mangroves that are able to support a variety of activities. Integrated coastal management takes a multi-disciplinary approach that involves the integration of the different institutions and stakeholder groups in the coastal zone. A survey of tropical coastal locations revealed that fully implemented integrated coastal management is limited with programs apparently failing at the implementation stage. These coastal zones share a number of common challenges exacerbated by poverty and conflicts between the coastal activities. Conflict management needs to be incorporated into the management process that pays particular attention to the overextraction of resources and destructive resource use.     

The lost waterfront of New York

Abstract

No integrated municipal policy exists for managing the New York City waterfront. Despite much rhetoric and many proposals to renew the city's coast, the municipal government has done little to improve the city's coastal shoreline. External organizations and citizens’ groups have been largely responsible for efforts to improve the use of the city's coastal resources. This article assesses the role of the city government and analyzes the factors affecting its performance in coastal management. It proposes new policies to foster local initiatives and encourages private and public cooperation in the revitalization of the coast. Given the size and diversity of the city's coast, an incremental strategy may be the most feasible and sensible approach to recapture the city's lost waterfront.     

Rehabilitating the Mangrove Resources of Cogtong Bay,Philippines: A Comanagement Perspective

The local management of mangrove resources in Cogtong Bay, Philippines, dates back to the 1940s and 1950s when some families informally designated mangrove areas under their care and management. The 1960s and 1970s saw several exogenous events that led to the progressive denudation of mangrove stands and the decline in fish catch per fishing trip. This article draws attention to the forces that prompted coastal villages and external agents to collaborate with the national and local government units in resource rehabilitation. It also assesses the performance of a coastal resources comanagement project at Cogtong Bay.     

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.     

Land Changes and Conflicts Coordination in Coastal Urbanization: A Case Study of the Shandong Peninsula in China

The coastal zone is an interaction region between land and ocean and an interface of geosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere, as well as greatly affected by human activities. Driven by economic activities and increased population, urbanization is rapidly developing in coastal zones, and a series of land resource and environmental conflicts have occurred, especially in developing countries at times of economic transition. This article reports a case study of the Shandong Peninsula of East China. We analyze the land-use practices and land cover changes of six cities over a timeframe of nearly a decade. We then review the management conflict issues. The most commonly encountered conflicts fall into three categories: those between expanding constructed land and decreased cultivated land; those between land resource utilization and conservation; and those between increasing demand for land and degrading land quality. All in all, they reflect the fundamental conflicts between short-term economic development gains and long-term food security and ecosystem sustainability. This article puts forward an institutional approach to coordinate these conflicts so as to realize integrated and coordinated coastal management.     

The heritage coast program in England and Wales

Abstract

The Countryside Commission for England and Wales has adopted a coastal management system that identifies high‐value scenic areas and manages these as Heritage Coasts. The Heritage Coast program is a collaborative one between central and local government, with the central government providing technical expertise and half the funds and local authorities providing development control and staff. The approach has been successful in having most of the important scenic areas designated as Heritage Coasts, but has been less successful at getting active on‐ground management on the coasts. Less than half the defined Heritage Coasts have management plans or Heritage Coast staff. Reasons for the slow adoption of the program are discussed.     

Local environmental management—can it work? A case study of the Virginia Wetlands Act

Abstract

The Virginia Wetlands Act of 1972 provides the localities of Tidewater Virginia an opportunity to participate in the management of the state's coastal wetlands resources. This study attempts to analyze the effectiveness of this legislation and to examine the implications of a local management scheme for coastal resource management on a broader scale. Criteria are also established that can be used to evaluate the effectiveness of such a law. When examined in the light of these criteria, the Virginia Wetlands Act emerges, for the most part, as an effective piece of environmental quality legislation that has had a significant impact on wetlands destruction in the state of Virginia. During the two‐year period following the passage of the Act, wetlands losses through the permitting process showed an 18‐fold decrease from previous estimates. The Wetlands Act appears to have been generally accepted by the public and has resulted in consistently uniform decisions, which have reduced wetlands losses without unduly restricting the necessary and legitimate development of the state's wetlands.     

Community-Based Management for Sustainable Fisheries Resources in Phang-nga Bay,Thailand

Fishing communities, the Government of Thailand Department of Fisheries, local nongovermnental organizations, universities, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), and FAO's Bay of Bengal Program have undertaken a partnership in management of Phang-nga Bay's coastal resources. It is the first project of its kind in Thailand, and although still in the early stages, offers insights that may contribute to our knowledge of how we can improve our management of coastal resources, including the importance of (1) building relationships within the governance process; (2) combining education, enforcement, and economic incentives to achieve compliance; (3) implementing solutions early; and (4) government support of community-based decisions. These insights reinforce trends emerging in other coastal management projects in the Asian region.