Towards marine spatial planning implementation in the Adriatic and Ionian region

The implementation of the EU Directive on Maritime Spatial Planning (2014/89/EU) in the Adriatic and Ionian region (AIR) presents some peculiar aspects that are related to: i) The EU and non-EU countries surrounding its coast, with different cultures and economies; ii) its semi-enclosed characteristics, with intense land-sea interactions; iii) the wide range of coastal and sea uses, sharing the same space and the same resources; iv) the heterogeneity in terms of bathymetry, coastal morphology, sediment composition, circulation and trophic conditions, high biodiversity, that makes the AIR a hotspot for conservation. Moreover, the MSP process is considered as a cross-cutting issue and powerful tool to accomplish the objectives of the EU Strategy for the AIR (EUSAIR), a macro-regional strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth in the AIR. The chapter presents the main outcomes and lessons learned from the project ADRIPLAN, a pilot project co-funded by the European Commission for testing MSP implementation in the AIR. A detailed methodology, adapted from existing guidelines and current practices, was set-up and applied to the AIR, under the principles of the Ecosystem Based Approach (EBA). The analysis of existing uses and trends as well as their potential conflicts and synergies combined with the analysis of the environmental conditions and their cumulative impacts from multiple pressures, allowed for the identification of demands for space and resources as well as threats to the environment due to anthropogenic uses. Therefore, management objectives and possible measures at the strategic and local levels have been defined. Transboundary issues and needs for cross-border cooperation have also been identified. Stakeholders have been involved in the whole process at different levels, while tools have been developed and applied to support data management, sharing and data analysis, in particular on conflicts among uses and on cumulative impact assessment. The ADRIPLAN project sets the baseline for the preparation in the AIR of detailed Plans in line with requirements of the Directive, including the identification of main data and knowledge gaps, and represents a useful reference for MSP implementation in the Mediterranean Basin.