1. SPF SANTE PUBLIQUE, SECURITE DE LA CHAINE ALIMENTAIRE ET ENVIRONNEMENT
1
A race for space in the Belgian marine waters
Marine Spatial Planning in Belgium
International Marine Spatial Planning Symposium: Sharing Practical Solutions/11ht Annual
Ronald C. Baird Sea Grant Science Symposium”
16 May 2012, Providence
Charlotte Herman, Belgium, Directorate-General for Environment
charlotte.herman@environment.belgium.be

2. SPF SANTE PUBLIQUE, SECURITE DE LA CHAINE ALIMENTAIRE ET ENVIRONNEMENT
2 Belgian part of the North Sea

3. SPF SANTE PUBLIQUE, SECURITE DE LA CHAINE ALIMENTAIRE ET ENVIRONNEMENT
3 Activities in the BPNS

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4 Fisheries

5. SPF SANTE PUBLIQUE, SECURITE DE LA CHAINE ALIMENTAIRE ET ENVIRONNEMENT
5 Offshore Wind Energy Zone

6. SPF SANTE PUBLIQUE, SECURITE DE LA CHAINE ALIMENTAIRE ET ENVIRONNEMENT
6 Wind farms and export cables

7. SPF SANTE PUBLIQUE, SECURITE DE LA CHAINE ALIMENTAIRE ET ENVIRONNEMENT
7 Installed windturbines

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Special Area of Conservation (Habitat Dir)
8
Special Protection Areas (Birds Dir.)

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9 Aquaculture zones (mussel)

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10 Dredge disposal sites

11. SPF SANTE PUBLIQUE, SECURITE DE LA CHAINE ALIMENTAIRE ET ENVIRONNEMENT
11 Aggregate extraction zone

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12 Anchorage area

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13 Radar and measuring pillars

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14 Navigation routes

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15 Military zone

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16 Gas pipelines

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17 Telecom cables

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18 A sea of chaos
Map Mare Liberum. Superimposed projection of all users of the BPNS
(GAUFRE report “Towards a Spatial Structure Plan for Sustainable Management of the Sea”)

19. SPF SANTE PUBLIQUE, SECURITE DE LA CHAINE ALIMENTAIRE ET ENVIRONNEMENT
MSP issues
Claims for space anno 2012
• No claims have signifcantly been reduced;
• Some existing claims have increased in surface;
- nature conservation (new MPA’s in EEZ),
- maritime transport (short sea shipping),…
• Other claims are likely to increase in the near future:
- wind energy;
- coastal defense –rise of sea level;
- sea ports – expansion; …
• New claims are being considered:
- new aquaculture technologies (extraction of seashells?);
- renewable offshore energy (tidal energy?)
- increase of shipping activities (logistic offshore platform?)

20. SPF SANTE PUBLIQUE, SECURITE DE LA CHAINE ALIMENTAIRE ET ENVIRONNEMENT
MSP drivers
• Users of the sea demand for MSP as an integrated MSP will lead to
solve uncertainties and will attract investors (certainty, planning for
the future)
• MSP will contribute to the success of other policy competencies;
e.g. MSP will serve as a tool for the achievement of a Good
Environmental Status by 2020 (as required by the European Union)
• European and international tendency to promote MSP

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21 Marine Spatial Planning in 2012
Caution: the legal basis is still under negotiation, so things might undergo
changes
Legal basis underway:
• Law Marine Environment (1999), as amended
• Royal decree establishing the procedure for the adoption of the Marine Spatial
Plan
• Royal decree establising the Marine Spatial Plan
Initiator / Coordinator:
• Ministerial level – (federal) minister of the North Sea (Mr. J.Vande Lanotte)
• Administration level – (federal) Directorate – General Environment

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Marine Spatial Planning in 2012
Procedure
Pre-draft Plan  Advisory Commission
Draft Plan  Socio-economic public consultation*
 SEA (including public consultation)*
Marine Spatial Plan implemented by Royal Decree
* Formal transboundary consultation

23. SPF SANTE PUBLIQUE, SECURITE DE LA CHAINE ALIMENTAIRE ET ENVIRONNEMENT
23 Marine Spatial Planning in 2012
Advisory Commission - Federal and regional (Flemish Region) representatives from public services
- 30 days
Public consultation - Including a public hearing/ stakeholders meeting
- Formal contact with some other governments / institutions
- 60 days
Socio-economic - No formal procedure, to be «agreed» between States
transboundary - 60 days
consultation
SEA transboundary - the « affected State » to decide whether the State wants to take
consultation part in the consultation
- 60 days

24. SPF SANTE PUBLIQUE, SECURITE DE LA CHAINE ALIMENTAIRE ET ENVIRONNEMENT
24 Marine Spatial Planning in a later stage
Renewal procedure
- Renewal every 6 years
- Intermittent renewal procedure

25. SPF SANTE PUBLIQUE, SECURITE DE LA CHAINE ALIMENTAIRE ET ENVIRONNEMENT
25 Marine Spatial Planning in 2012
MSP = instrument, tool
Plan Content
1. Spatial analysis of Belgian part of the North Sea
- Introduction
- Physical aspects
- Nature value
- Existing user functions
- Existing spatial structure
- Spatial alliances and conflicts
2. Long term vision on spatial use
3. Clear economic, social and ecological objectives
4. Measures, funding, instruments and actions to implement the Marine Spatial Plan

26. SPF SANTE PUBLIQUE, SECURITE DE LA CHAINE ALIMENTAIRE ET ENVIRONNEMENT
Challenges
Multi – level government
European Union: policy targets (e.g., CFP, MSFD, IMP,…)
Federal State: general competency for North Sea Policy
 federal public services Internal Affairs, Mobility, Defence, Environment,…
Flemish Region: specific competencies
 fishing, dredging, sea ports, coastal defence, salvage and towage
operations,…
Local authorities: coastal municipalities (e.g., beach)/province (e.g., disaster
plan)

27. SPF SANTE PUBLIQUE, SECURITE DE LA CHAINE ALIMENTAIRE ET ENVIRONNEMENT
Opportunities and key factors for success
 Balance - between existing use of space / future use of space
 Multiple use of space
 Long term vision and objectives MSP – future perspective, no ad hoc approach
 Transparency – intelligent use of bilateral consultation, well – informed decision,…
 Stakeholder participation
 Coherence between land and sea
 Coordination within the Belgian state structure – respect competencies (federal, regional,
local, international..)
 Cross-border cooperation and consultation – potential “common” MSP, sea basin
approach,...

28. SPF SANTE PUBLIQUE, SECURITE DE LA CHAINE ALIMENTAIRE ET ENVIRONNEMENT
Thank you!