Project: Transboundary marine spatial planning in the Irish Sea
Research published April 2023
Lead researchers and institutions:
Dr Heather Ritchie, Dr Linda McElduff and Dr Joseph Ansong at Ulster University*
(Dr Ritchie is currently a lecturer at Queen’s University Belfast*)
* RTPI-accredited planning school
Funders
Co-funded by the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) of the European Union.
Note: Findings and recommendations reflect the views of the researchers at the time of writing and are not necessarily the views of the RTPI
Key takeaways
- Strengthen cross‑border coordination for marine planning
A more coherent Irish Sea approach is needed—this includes urgently finalising the Northern Ireland Marine Plan and working towards a shared, overarching non‑statutory Irish Sea Maritime Plan and updated Marine Policy Statement supported by all six administrations. - Improve structures for transboundary engagement and information sharing
A network such as The Irish Sea Maritime Forum could be used more effectively as a formal platform for collaboration, with improved integration of marine plan activities and initiatives and learning drawn from national and international MSP practice. - Enhance professional capacity
Invest in capacity building and education to support better decision‑making and upskilling for professionals working in the marine planning environment.
Summary
With funding from the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF), this project aimed to scale up knowledge exchange and capacity building for more effective transboundary Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) across the Irish Sea.
It examined existing and future marine plans in the Irish Sea maritime area, through in-depth literature review, stakeholder workshops and interviews.
It reviewed transboundary planning processes and policy across the UK and Ireland, compared the interrelationships of those marine plans and policies, and highlighted issues and opportunities for the Irish Sea maritime area, within the context of biodiversity crisis, climate emergency and post-Brexit.
In their report the authors offer practical recommendations to DAERA (The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs) on how to improve and encourage more effective transboundary MSP across the Irish Sea Maritime Region.
The authors hope the findings can be used to promote the Irish Sea Maritime Forum’s objectives of facilitating “knowledge exchange and capacity building across all administrative areas and sectors about marine planning” and “a more coordinated, efficient planning process for transboundary issues/projects and good working relationships among Irish Sea partners.”
Recommendations
To improve transboundary MSP for the Irish Sea, the authors recommend:
- Northern Ireland should bring forward their Marine Plan urgently to ensure comprehensive marine planning for Northern Ireland, and for the rest of the Irish Sea nations, providing clarity for sea users and developers.
- Making better use of the Irish Sea Maritime Forum as a formal institutional platform encouraging stronger transboundary engagement of stakeholders.
- Developing a Whole-of-Irish Sea approach, to have one overarching Irish Sea Maritime Plan, as a non-statutory framework, to join up all existing and forthcoming marine plans. This could be led by a joint working group across the administrations and adopted by all.
- Developing a newly revised Marine Policy Statement for the 6 nations to contribute to.
- Creating a central research observatory or a marine data information point by joining all the marine mapping platforms together under one single point of entry.
- Enhancing coherence between the marine plans bordering the Irish Sea through
- Ensuring that MSP map viewers can integrate layers of other neighbouring marine plans.
- Learning from international MSP consultation and workshops on plan development and the use of marine plans.
- Developing more capacity building and upskilling of (planning) professionals working in the marine environment, through government investment.
Full reference
McElduff, l., Ritchie, H. and Ansong, J. (2023) ‘Northern Ireland Knowledge Exchange for Transboundary Marine Spatial Planning in the Irish Sea’. Ulster University.
Link to the report
