Environmental quality within an interorganizational matrix: A case study of the SOHIO project

Abstract

Urban coastal management is now part of a large, complex set of regional, state, and federal interorganizational arrangements. This emerging matrix consists of a loosely linked set of nearly independent decision points. Cities have little capacity within this matrix for independent action. Recent experience in the SOHIO project by the City and Port of Long Beach, California, illustrates the point to which external agencies have taken over decision‐making for use of coastal resources. Public bodies removed from city affairs and politics and with interests in other than coastal affairs have become dominant and have overridden local policy‐making. The public costs to citizens and local governments of the emerging interorganizational matrix are very high and may be excessive. As it is emerging, the matrix is a semi‐autonomous set of bureaucratic decision points which is unhinged from community values and regular political infrastructures.     

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.     

Integrating visual management into the coastal zone planning process: The Massachusetts experience

Abstract

This paper concerns the limitations on integrating visual management into the coastal zone planning process as exemplified by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, a state with a strong tradition of “home rule”; and a CZM implementation program based on a “networking”; of existing state authorities. The implications of the Massachusetts experience are that: (a) management of esthetic resources at the state level continues to be much less of a priority than management of ecological resources such as wetlands or floodplains; (b) visual management has yet to engender a strongly supportive constituency beyond that concerned with historic preservation; (c) project review focusing on visual impacts may be a more appropriate activity for local rather than state government; and (d) the technical aspects of visual management or impact assessment are far more advanced than their political acceptability. Political realities, together with the decision that implementation of the program should be based on a networking of existing authorities, thus determined the degree to which visual management could be incorporated into the state's program. As a result, the program's principal instruments of visual management became a strengthening of existing programs such as Wild and Scenic Rivers, reliance on wetland protection statutes to indirectly protect natural scenic values, and the use of the federal consistency provisions of the Coastal Zone Management Act to foster focused growth patterns through provision of publicly funded infrastructures. Esthetically oriented project review, with the exception of potential impacts on historic sites, was left to the discretion of local government, and a technical assistance program was created to provide funding or professional skills to communities interested in developing their own esthetic controls or design review processes. Maine, Rhode Island, and other New England states have followed a similar course.     

Response of coastal zone management programs to sea level rise in the United States

Abstract

State coastal zone management programs are responding to the potential impacts of accelerated sea level rise through a wide range of activities and policies. This article provides a brief overview of the Coastal Zone Management Act and other federal laws that provide the basis for coastal state regulatory activities. It surveys the level of response to sea level rise by state coastal management programs in 24 marines coastal states, from formal recognition to implementation of policies addressing the issue. Individual state CZMP responses and policies that have been implemented or proposed are categorized. The adaptation of sea level rise to ongoing institutional objectives is discussed and policy constraints and trends are summarized.     

Interorganizational Considerations in Coastal Management: The 1976 California Legislative Experience

Abstract

Among coastal management programs, most states have found the question of appropriate administrative structure difficult to cope with. The dilemma of decision trade‐offs caused by the dual governmental needs of “efficiency”; and “representation”; has led to some alternative patterns of administration. For complex issues that transcend local boundaries, the choice between trade‐offs means adopting either (a) some form of consolidated bureaucracy or (b) some system of concurrent jurisdictions. Both alternatives have their inherent benefits and disadvantages but, considering the degree of environmental complexity and array of competing interests involved in coastal resource use, the most appropriate administrative form would seem to be concurrent control, as interagency reciprocal review promotes thoroughness and broad representation. Affected both by swings in political climate and by traditional reform politics, the case of California legislation represents a conscious deliberation over administrative alternatives. After experimenting with concurrent control under Proposition 20, California reversed its legislation in 1976 by mandating the consolidation of coastal management authority into existing bureaucratic line organizations and a reduction of the coastal agency after 1979 to a planning and advisory body.     

Model coastal zone statute

Abstract

This model statute sets out a mechanism for the management of the coastal zone by the coastal states. It provides a possible state response to the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972. The authors recognize that most states presently have some form of management or legal control over their coastal zone, and the model statute has been written with the intention that all or parts of it could be adapted to the wide variety of state regulatory schemes with the aim of providing unitary management to the valuable resource of the coastal zone.     

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.     

Cooperation of Science and Management for Harmful Algal Blooms: Domoic Acid and the Washington Coast Razor Clam Fishery

Harmful algal blooms (HABs) may be increasing in frequency and intensity worldwide. Coastal economies suffer significant income losses when fisheries or beaches are closed to protect human health and subsistence fishing communities are at risk. Despite these hardships, managers must often conservatively close harvests across a wide area or for long periods, because they lack scientific information that would allow them to predict HAB events. The outer coast of Washington State has experienced several closures of the razor clam (Siliqua patula) fishery starting in 1991, due to domoic acid (DA) contamination caused by toxic blooms of the diatom Pseudo-nitzschia. Improved science-based management was needed to minimize the impact of DA on this fishery and the coastal communities that relied on it for income, tourism, and subsistence. The Olympic Region Harmful Algal Bloom (ORHAB) Partnership, comprised of state and tribal managers, scientists, and local stakeholders, evolved in response to this need; it has been successful in its mission. Here we examine ORHAB through the lens of the Institutional Analysis and Development framework, in order to identify key factors contributing to its success. The relevance of our findings for other ORHAB-like institutions in the Pacific Northwest and elsewhere is discussed.     

Marine Shoreline Management—A 35-Year Evaluation of Outcomes in San Juan County,Washington, US

In 1976, Washington became the first state to implement the federal Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA) primarily through the 1971 WA Shoreline Management Act (SMA). However, there has been little effort in Washington to evaluate outcomes of shoreline protection programs post SMA. In 2006–2008, we characterized shoreline conditions in San Juan County over three time periods spanning pre and post SMA and engaged community members to improve effectiveness of shoreline protection. We found modest improvements in forest retention on marine shorelines between pre and post 1977, but few other improvements through time. While we could not measure shoreline construction rates, construction practices for shore armor and overwater structures (docks) have changed very little, despite the increased regulatory standards. The vast majority of shore armor constructed post SMA occurred without mandatory county or state permits likely due to: widespread perception that permits were unnecessary and that permit standards were arbitrary and inconsistently applied; poor understanding of shoreline ecology by community members; lack of county or state enforcement authority and shoreline monitoring programs; and poor permit tracking systems.     

Local Level Fisheries Management in Diani-Chale,Kenya: Current Status and Future Directions

The current regime of fisheries management and the prospects for attaining a more locally oriented, collaborative system of fisheries management in Diani-Chale, Kenya are examined. At present fisheries management in Diani-Chale is characterized by diminished government capacity for regulation, weakened local institutions, and little ability to exert control over the use of fisheries. Local level management requires the development and use of local institutions that can govern the use of fishery resources. The fish landing sites used by fishers and their associated fishing grounds were identified to be at the appropriate level for resolving fishery management issues. A more formal role for these entities, the clarification of fishing ground tenure and access rights, and support for the development and enforcement of local fishing rules can further local management. The socioeconomic condition of fishers, their fear of losing landing sites, and the continued perception of the imposition of a marine reserve pose barriers to initiatives seeking to further local level management.     

Eilat: Multiple conflicts in an inherently uncertain environment

Abstract

Ports are often at the center of conflicts regarding the use of coastal areas and their management. Yet, it is often impossible to forecast the future development patterns of a port due to its dependence on shifting international relations and markets. Such inherent uncertainty complicates the management of coastal areas affected by the port. This article looks at how such a case is being addressed in Eilat, Israel's Red Sea port.

The development of Eilat's port has been a function of the changing geopolitical situation in the Middle East. At the same time it is in the center of a number of local conflicts involving the management and planning of Israel's Red Sea coast. Evaluation of the two alternatives proposed to address these conflicts is hampered by the inherent uncertainty regarding the port's growth patterns. The use of robust evaluation techniques is suggested as one way to address inherent uncertainties.     

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 North Norfolk Coastline: A Complex Legacy

The North Norfolk coast is a naturally eroding coastline that has been subject to various management strategies over time, many of which have impeded its natural evolution. The Kelling to Lowestoft-Ness Shoreline Management Plan underpins management of the North Norfolk coast, advocating policies of managed realignment and no active intervention for much of this coastline. Implementation of these policies would give rise to significant loss of housing in North Norfolk during the course of this century. This has caused intense conflict between local communities and coastal planners, with the former feeling abandoned to the vagaries of natural coastal processes. Coastal planners need to work closely with local communities to implement a long-term vision for a sustainable coast. The issues of conflicting land-use planning policies and compensation for affected communities must be addressed. The wider implications of current management strategies are not fully understood and may, in some cases, be unsustainable.     

The Sefton Coast Management Scheme: Project and Process

Abstract

The Sefton Coast Management Scheme in northwest England uses an area‐based project to achieve coordinated land management. It is founded on the ‘'Heritage Coast'’ model pioneered by the Countryside Commission where a ‘"Project Officer”; is employed to promote the Scheme and translate the aims into practical achievement. The Sefton Coast is described and a summary of British coastal planning policy precedes a detailed analysis of the Scheme. The Scheme is assessed with reference to practical management work, its success in competition for scarce financial resources, and the involvement of volunteers. It is established that the Project Officer is crucial to the success of the Scheme and that area‐based management can best be achieved through the local government planning process. Coastal planning needs now to be reviewed at national level to develop a policy for the whole coast using the experience of projects such as the Sefton Coast Management Scheme.     

Urban sports anglers and Lake Michigan fishery policies

Abstract

Over the past few years an unusually intense struggle over the future of the Lake Michigan fishery has occurred in the coastal communities of Racine and Kenosha. This struggle has engaged participants on the local, state, and national levels in the debate over the fishery as it is potentially impacted by the presence of environmental toxins, the rising cost of fish stocking and management, and conflicting user group demands. We describe three cases where urban sports anglers, with the assistance of university based social scientists, participated in state and city public policy decisions. After discussing this research and its policy implications, we propose a general public participation paradigm termed the Reciprocal Development Model.     

Aquaculture siting issues in Washington's coastal zone

Abstract

Greater commitments of aquatic resources are required as aquaculture activities expand and intensify. At the same time, increasing recreational and residential uses of the coast are placing other demands on many of the same resources. Multiple use disputes are arising and conflicts are intensifying. This paper is a problem analysis based on recent public debates in the state of Washington which surrounded the mechanical harvest of clams, raft culture of mussels, and pen rearing of salmon. Subjects of potential conflict are shown in the questions of continuing the subtidal harvest of geoducks, raft culturing of marine algae for food and chemical extracts, and continuing the use of public nearshore aquatic areas for private oyster farming. This report also suggests that better coastal management techniques need to be developed which address: (1) how environmental impacts and risks are determined; (2) how claims for esthetic quality can be evaluated and measured; and (3) which methods can be used to plan for the aquatic areas which recognize the special features of the aquatic areas.     

Marine log transportation and handling systems in british columbia: Impacts on coastal management

Abstract

Over 90 percent of British Columbia's annual log harvest enters into complex water‐based systems of transportation, storage, and handling. These systems have considerable impacts on a wide range of coastal resources and uses. A number of site‐specific conflicts have arisen between forestry and preexisting or emerging values including fisheries, mariculture, recreational boating, and harbor redevelopment. Specific data on the impacts leading to conflict are often fragmentary. However, concerns about highly valued and fragile areas‐particularly estuariesalong with industrial concerns regarding log losses and handling efficiency, have prompted changes in log handling. These include moves to dryland sorting, log bundling, and a redistribution of forestry activities in estuaries to accommodate other values. Conflict adjustments and responses have in the past been largely ad hoc and attempted in a jurisdictional vacuum concerning control of coastal management. A more inclusive strategy is now slowly emerging, which involves the coordinated participation of federal, provincial, and industrial interests.     

Managing community acceptance of major industrial projects

Abstract

In some cases, the major risk encountered by an industry seeking to site a facility is that of community acceptance. Without community acceptance of a proposed project, construction can be delayed, taxes can be prohibitive, and operations can be prevented through the opposition and influence of local groups. This paper describes the community acceptance risk, the traditional industrial approach to countering local opposition, and a positive approach to achieving community acceptance. This positive approach entails careful site selection; affirmative management of the community acceptance problem, including explicit planning of the community acceptance effort, assignment of staff with specific responsibilities to implement plans, and a budget for mitigating the impacts of the project on the community; acquisition of sufficient land to buffer unavoidable impacts of the project; a carefully formed corporate policy on the public release of information concerning the project; and constructive participation in state and local government policy development.     

Duplin river estuarine sanctuary—a description

Abstract

The Duplin River Estuarine Sanctuary was dedicated by Governor George Busbee of Georgia in December 1976. The sanctuary includes the entire Duplin river, related wetlands, and much of the contributing uplands, which extend over 7500 acres. Much of the upland lies on Sapelo Island, neighboring a state wildlife management area, a state natural area, and a community of black families that have lived and worked on the island for many generations. The sanctuary was acquired, in part, with funds from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and will be managed for research and educational purposes. The management policy will be designed to avoid artificial or manipulative management control, to protect natural processes and systems, and to promote attainment of scientific objectives.     

Israel's coastal program: Resource protection through management of land use

Abstract

Presently, much of Israel's 190‐kilometer‐long Mediterranean coast is either unoccupied, devoted to unsuitable uses, or is in use by activities which have no special need to be near the water's edge. This has resulted from years of lack of appreciation by policy‐makers of the coast as a valuable resource, of national development policies that directed attention to other regions, and of the relatively limited demand for coastal recreation.

In the last decade the importance of these factors has diminished. In turn, there is now mounting pressure for the development of coastal land. Increasingly, rising standards of living with a greater demand for recreational facilities, the growth of tourism as a major industry, and demands of the environmental lobby for conservation of part of the coastal land are factors bound to cause intensive change along the coast and to affect the quality of its resources. These trends have brought about public intervention in deciding the future of the coast. This paper reviews and analyzes Israel's coastal policy and its resource management programs, and also discusses the potential challenges to their full implementation.

Three types of programs were suggested as the main management tools: a coastal research and development effort, national coastal land use planning and pollution prevention, and monitoring and control programs. Major objectives of the programs were to be achieved through land use controls. Consequently, an important role is given in the development and implementation of the coastal program to agencies responsible for the management of physical land use planning and development.

Successful implementation of the management program, however, will depend on the ability of its administrators to coordinate the actions of many interests, on success in changing attitudes among decision‐makers as to the value of the coast, and on widening support for coastal resource conservation among a presently uninvolved public.