Coastal

Management /
Coastal Planning
CZMT3002

What is it we want to manage?

We have to know where!!!

What is coastal management /planning?

What is delineation?

Difficulty in delineation.

Variations in delineation

There is no one definition or approach for defining

the coastal zone.

Coastal zone and zoning within the coastal zone are

clearly different.

Delineating a zone or an area as an essentially

western concept which places artificial boundaries
on the geographical extent of this transition.

Defining the boundaries of a coastal area is more of

an academic interest to coastal planners and
managers.

Govt often create administrative systems or set out

policies to guide decision making that operate
within a defined coastal policy area.

There are a variety of ways such areas may be

delineated in order to serve the purposes of
particular policies.

Limits of coastal zone:

The location of the limits of the coastal zone appears

to vary depending on several key factors including:

the set of issues of concern;

the geographical factors relevant to each segment of the

coast;

the stated objectives of the integrated management

program; and

a determination of an appropriate management area to

encompass the impact of activities/issues, on the coastal
zone quality/health.

Factors that influence Limits:

Similarly, the precise location of boundaries may be

influenced by many factors including:

what resources are considered of value and importance;

what is considered practical, achievable, workable and

realistic from a political, ecological, legal, regulatory,
socio-economic or administrative standpoint;

stakeholder interests; and

public opinion.

Fixed / variable parameters:

This necessarily results in some definitions reflecting fixed

parameters while others use variable ones depending on the
issue(s) of concern.

A fixed definition

can incorporate a set distance landward and seaward measured

from a defined baseline at the coastal land-water interface, such
as the mean high water mark.

A variable definition

might start from the defined baseline and extend

landward or seaward an undefined linear distance
or height/depth to incorporate various valued
features or landmarks.

These might include

biological features

natural

factors

such

as

(e.g. vegetation type, sensitive habitat),

physical features (e.g. intertidal area, beaches),

natural processes (e.g. sedimentation patterns, flooding

zone) and/or naturally-defined watershed areas (e.g.
Maracas watershed).

Variable definitions

could also incorporate human factors such as socioeconomic activities (e.g. coastal-dependent industries,

activities that
positively),

impact

the

coast,

negatively

or

settlement patterns (e.g. rural/urban distinction),

cultural aspects (e.g. ethnic, archeological, heritage,

ancestral and ceremonial sites)

legally-derived rights (e.g. food fishery, traditional harvesting

grounds) and

human use features (e.g. aesthetic or recreational value.

Both fixed and variable definitions

can be influenced by administrative factors such as jurisdictional

boundaries (e.g. municipal, county or provincial boundaries, maritime
zones), arbitrarily-established boundaries (e.g. bathymetric line, fixed
linear distance from shore), and constructed features (e.g. bridge,
railway).

What is Common?

In spite of the variance across the boundary definitions

examined, four elements were found in common:

they are commonly defined in key coastal legislation,

policy documents or coastal management programs;

they are designed to protect valued features, resources, or

activities in the coastal area;

they respond to
intent/purpose; and

they reflect priority issues of management concern.

overall

policy

and

legislative

Biophysical definitions of coastal

zone area: (Kay and Alder 2005)
space and time

Coast highly dynamic in

Beaches, coastal marshes, , mangroves, fringing reefs etc.

Rivers that bring fresh water and sediments; in this case the inward limit to the
coast is catchment boundary that may be 1000s km inland. Eg. GangesBrahmaputra whose sediments form much of Bangladesh rises far inland the
Himalaya.

Coast thought of the area which forms a connection between land an ocean:

Contain both land and sea components

Have land an ocean boundaries that are determined by the degree of

influence of the land on the ocean and the ocean on the land; and

Are constantly changing in width, depth, or height.

Case Example:

The delineation of the coastal zone in Bangladesh has been done by

different agencies and from different perspectives. For example, the Soil
Resources Development Institute and the Department of Public Health
Engineering have their own definitions and coastal zone boundaries.

For ICZM purposes, the 1999 concept (MoWR 1999) note suggests as a starting
point to take all sea and estuary facing administrative districts, including
those along the lower reaches of the Meghna Estuary up to Chandpur and
those facing the Tentulia and Baleswar Rivers. This led to a coastal zone
consisting of 16 districts.

Policy- oriented definition of a

coastal area:

Depend on particular set of issues and geographic factors which

area relevant to the stretch of coast.

Coastal zone (area) management involves the continuous

management of the use of coastal lands and waters and their
resources within some designated area, the boundaries of which
are politically determined by legislation or by executive order.

At a policy level the limits of the coastal areas have been defined
in 4 possible ways:
Fixed distance definitions:

A fixed distance away form eth coast which is considered coastal;

calculated by some measure of boundary between land and water at the
coast e.g. MHWM

Usually apply to the limit of governmental jurisdiction e.g. limits of Territorial

Seas

Variable distance definitions:

Usually set form some measure of the coast (MHWM). However boundaries
are not sixed, but vary along eth coast according to a range of variables:

Physical features

Biological features

Constructed landmarks

Administrative boundaries.

Definition according to use

International organizations and large coastal nations often define

the limits of a coastal area according to the particular coastal
management issue being addressed; that is the coastal area is
defined according to the use to which that definition will be put
and the form of definition is termed definition according to use.

E.g. non-point source of marine pollution

vehicle damaging beach and dunes.

vs. four wheel drive

Definition of coastal zone depends upon the purpose for which the definition is
intended.

Areal foci (Kay and Alder 2006) is used:

Administrative: political process/ administration will designate responsibility to manage.

An ecosystem area

A resource based area e.g. mineral, oil fields, fisheries etc.

A demand area, i.e. wider area form which demands are exerted: recreation, marine
transport, waste disposal.

Hybrid definitions

mix one type of coastal definition for the landward limit of the
coastal area and another for the seaward limit.

Common practice by governments that have a fixed limit of

jurisdiction over nearshore waters.

Vertical dimension of any coastline can be included. E.g. mineral

rights below coastal lands and waters and the atmosphere above
it generally covered by laws and regulations under govt
jurisdiction.

Characteristics:

Unique- land and sea meet

Suffers the consequences of land use decisions a great distance

away from the coast.

Diverse and productive ecosystems

Resources contributed to human well being

Base for trading between countries

Socio-economic development increases; premium increase.

Coastal land: owned and/ managed by private, communal,

corporate and govt bodies.

Coastal waters owned/ managed solely by govts

Uniqueness further enhanced by value of its resources e.g. fish, oil,

minerals, recreation etc.

Coastal Management and

Planning:

Provides a frameworks for understanding how

current approaches to the planning and
management of coastal resources have evolved,
and the constraints these approaches are operating
within.

By looking back, trends become evident, which

may help with the possible future development of
coastal management and planning.

Roman and Greek ports

7th Century AD
Diversion of water courses and construction on the coast of Venice, Italy.

1128AD
Diversion of Yangtze River

18th 19th century- Industrial revolution

Technological advancement grander civil engineering works.
Major modifications of coastlines
Industrial revolution altered the communitys view of its resources.
View that they area tangible element or objects of nature led to the use of the term natural
resources , and management, planning, now focused on supply and demand and the options
for managing these factors.
Pervasive (western) culture- mans dominance over other animals and natural system.
Concentration on economic development, social demands, public perception little attention
to ecology
Maximize profits maximize production: the weakness of this approach was that resources
were easily valued, single purpose and static in value over time.
Market place dominated resource allocation while social norm no longer guided resource use.
Resources perceived as limitless and there to be consumed for profit.
Late 19th century:

View changes:
Advance in economic theory
Developing realization that society ha the ability to destroy the environment
social reforms
Studied attempts to plan for resource management.

Task:

How do you think we can delineate Point Lisas

Industrial Area and Buccoo Marine System.

Print handout on pt. lisas