Marine Spatial Planning in Asia and the Caribbean: Application and Implications for Fisheries and Marine Resource Management

Marine spatial planning (MSP) has emerged as a highly promoted approach to implementing integrated management of coastal and ocean areas. It is linked to ecosystem-based management (EBM), the ecosystem approach to fisheries (EAF), geographic information systems (GIS), marine protected areas (MPAs) and more. Although MSP has gained global attention, its use appears to be less prominent in small island developing states (SIDS) and other developing countries than in developed countries. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the implications and practical application of MSP as an ocean resource management paradigm in Asia and the Caribbean. Where will MSP fit in the range of management paradigms? Where and how can it be best utilized for integrated resource management? What are challenges for implementation? Examples of use of MSP and marine zoning are presented and discussed.