- Policy has been introduced on marine spatial planning

and the infrastructure for the management - 

​

The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (MOF; Minister MOON, Seong-Hyeok) announced the 1st Master Plan on Marine Spatial Management for 2019-2028 resulting from the deliberating process at the Ocean & Fisheries Development Committee, a ministry-affiliated consultative body.

Poor-organized marine spatial development, recent evils like ill-considered occupation, caused a number of troubles among stakeholders and concerns over unsustainable progress. These unfortunate conditions have driven the government to enforce Act on Marine Spatial Planning and Management for its integrated management.

As the top-tier and general plan for marine areas, the Master Plan encompasses well-organized management schemes and policy for the territorial waters, EEZ and continental shelf under Article 5 of the Act in the mid-/long-term.

Under the visions seas with shared & inclusive value and seas with economic & ecologic balance, the Plan has 3 goals focusing marine industrial development; sustainable use based on the marine ecosystem; and region-tailored management by the local governments. The goals will be achieved by 5 strategies, each of which consists of 13 targets.

All waters will be designated as marine special-purpose areas by features and social & economic demands of each region until 2021 as an element of the Plan for marine spatial management. Also, surveys into marine resources in the EEZ will be expanded.

While preview system of the plan will be adopted to draw up marine-related schemes coupling with the Plan, indicators devised for the level of sustainability of the marine spaces and its regular check-up will be employed for establishing the relevant policy.

For the science-based & integrated marine spatial evaluation system, information and analysis system will consistently be updated and database on its result will be created to support decision-making process of planners and stakeholders.

In addition, the level of association between the Plan and its management tactics will be enhanced by checking the conformity with the Plan when license & approval are granted for the use & development of the marine areas; and applying differential rates by the conditions of each marine space for marine ecosystem conservation cooperation charge and occupation & use fees for public waters.

A concept of the marine ecosystem service will also be introduced into the policy on the integrated marine spatial management. All waters will be the target for the science-based evaluation on their benefits to map, which could be used to develop a support system for decision-making process of policy on the marine partial management.

A big data platform to share on oceans & fisheries will be created to couple with the marine spatial information made by other ministries & organizations, which helps to lay the foundation for the integrated management. Legal investigations on oceans & fisheries will be carried out, as well as detailed survey on areas with less information.

Also, a comprehensive map on the management and thematic map will be drawn for better use of the data; and multiple services to provide the information will be operated for industrial development.

Regional councils and committees will be supported by the relevant data and information to encourage their participation in the planning process for the management, which accompanies literacy and promotion programs for their strengthening capacity.

In addition, the international cooperation on technical development and system improvement will be promoted, while cooperative relations are considered with the North and regional countries, namely China & Japan, for the Plan.

Responding well to rising demands on the policy on integrated management and its professional trend, qualitative & quantitative improvement of organizations & human resources will be done; and an exclusive organization will be established commensurate with the potential policy.

Also, the industry in the marine spatial management will be promoted by nurturing professionals and introducing national qualification system & standard of estimate. A political consensus will be created by well-planned educational programs and promotion schemes.

MOF has an expectation that the Plan enables the integrated management system to settle down followed by preventing any troubles over the marine areas, saving social & economic costs and keeping thoughtless development in check.

Director General Song, Myeong-dal stated that “We are committed to well-organized management on the seas commensurate with the features of each marine area and social & economic demands under the 1st Master Plan. The visions, seas with shared & inclusive value and seas with economic & ecologic balance, will be realized as planned so that everyone enjoys the seas.”