The ACCESS/BoFEP 2022 Conference program is available here
The ACCESS/BoFEP 2022 Conference abstracts are available here
Abstract
The first-generation Marine Spatial Plan for the Scotian Shelf-Bay of Fundy will be completed by March 2024. Marine spatial planning (MSP) is mostly an activity initiated and managed by senior levels of governments. Coastal communities will be impacted by decisions about marine management, but due to lack of jurisdiction in marine spaces coastal municipalities are usually not involved, even though they could provide local knowledge and planning protocols that could support planning in the marine environment. This poster reports on a study that explored the role for municipalities in MSP in Nova Scotia. Interviews were conducted with participants from government and non-governmental organizations. While the views about the purpose and processes of MSP varied, all participants saw the need for input from every level of government. The results suggest that knowledge of MSP and understanding of a municipal government role is limited. The participants were skeptical about what senior government understands about municipal governments’ planning capabilities and what they could offer to MSP processes. If MSP is intended to facilitate sustainable marine management while promoting a blue economy, coastal communities should be primary beneficiaries. Coastal communities occupy the land-sea interface; yet, as many interviewees pointed out, the land and sea are often separated in planning processes. This poster will suggest how MSP in the Nova Scotia context can include local government in marine sector decision-making, leading to marine plans with local relevance and connection across planning systems.
Citation
DeVidi, M., Manuel, P., & MacDonald, B. H. (2022). Implementing marine spatial planning in Atlantic Canada: Considering a role for municipal governments. ACCESS/BoFEP Conference 2022, Truro, Nova Scotia, 17-21 May 2022.
Related Blog Posts
EIUI. (28 June 2022). From Species at Risk to the Science-Policy Interface: EIUI at Conferences. EIUI Blog. https://eiui.ca/from-species-at-risk-to-the-science-policy-interface-eiui-at-conferences/
Wells, P. G. (1 June 2022). Advancing Estuarine and Coastal Science and Ocean and Climate Literacy – Recent Conference. EIUI Blog. https://eiui.ca/advancing-estuarine-and-coastal-science-and-ocean-and-climate-literacy-recent-conference/