practical actions put in motion to fulfill specific objectives, to some degree of success
thus far, as in the case of the REVIZEE. Furthermore, a multi-stakeholder organization (CIRM) coordinates the policies and supervises several of those Plans and
Actions, while communicating with other agencies that are charged with
implementing parallel Actions, as the Ministry for the Environment and the task of
assessing the biodiversity and genetic potential of Brazilian waters (REVIMAR).
For that reason, credence should be given to Ana Paula Barros-Platiau in her
claim that national ocean planning needs to be discussed in light of fragmentation,
taking into account the porosity and circulation of international, regional, national
and local standards, apart from involving local actors into the process, i.e. academic
researchers, fishing communities, and others affected by regulations. All that, despite
the well-known financial and logistic difficulties of such a broad participation. That
approach amounts to the so-called “integrated management” of maritime areas, a
doctrine which seems to enjoy widespread acceptability within Brazilian academia,
with growing literature on this topic being registered in Brazil.
73
Out of comparison—on a superficial tone, as this work is not intended to compare
different legal realities as preconized by the field of international comparative law—
the Portuguese “National Strategy for the Oceans” may strike at first sight as a
cohesive and coherent document, limited to the essentials of ocean governance.
74
Yet, one should never forget that such strategy is inserted in a complex web of policy
papers, plans and programs both at the national, regional and international levels—
the notorious “horrendogram”. With that in mind, it is noteworthy that Portugal’s
strategy embraces key environmental legal principles, such as the integrated management of ocean issues; the principle of sustainable development; the precautionary
principle, namely with respect to risk management; and the ecosystem approach, as a
methodology and framework for the integrated management of terrestrial and
aquatic ecosystems and their resources, with a view to their conservation and
sustainable use. But then again, one should not lose sight of the document’s essence:
a programmatic and strategical declaration of intentions, which envisages whereto
the country wishes to head in the future.
Three strategic cornerstones in the Portuguese strategy include ocean knowledge;
marine spatial planning and regulation; and the promotion of national interests. Here,
the Brazilian Marine Resources Policy is similar by focusing on the training of
human resources in ocean sciences; the intensification of MSR and the sustainable
exploitation of marine resources. Regarding the marine environment, the Portuguese
strategy emphasizes the action to protect and recover marine ecosystems,
establishing a national network of marine protected areas, and maintaining marine
habitats in a favorable condition, apart from monitoring the overall health status of
the Portuguese marine zones, in which it turns out to be rather more detailed than the
Brazilian PNRM. The macro-objective sought after through the implementation of
those core principles is rather straightforward: to turn the Portuguese seas into a
73 Barros-Platiau et al. (2015), p. 162.
74 “National Strategy for the Oceans”, Portugal, note supra.
9.1 Marine Environmental Governance in Brazil: Policies and Institutions
267
thus far, as in the case of the REVIZEE. Furthermore, a multi-stakeholder organization (CIRM) coordinates the policies and supervises several of those Plans and
Actions, while communicating with other agencies that are charged with
implementing parallel Actions, as the Ministry for the Environment and the task of
assessing the biodiversity and genetic potential of Brazilian waters (REVIMAR).
For that reason, credence should be given to Ana Paula Barros-Platiau in her
claim that national ocean planning needs to be discussed in light of fragmentation,
taking into account the porosity and circulation of international, regional, national
and local standards, apart from involving local actors into the process, i.e. academic
researchers, fishing communities, and others affected by regulations. All that, despite
the well-known financial and logistic difficulties of such a broad participation. That
approach amounts to the so-called “integrated management” of maritime areas, a
doctrine which seems to enjoy widespread acceptability within Brazilian academia,
with growing literature on this topic being registered in Brazil.
73
Out of comparison—on a superficial tone, as this work is not intended to compare
different legal realities as preconized by the field of international comparative law—
the Portuguese “National Strategy for the Oceans” may strike at first sight as a
cohesive and coherent document, limited to the essentials of ocean governance.
74
Yet, one should never forget that such strategy is inserted in a complex web of policy
papers, plans and programs both at the national, regional and international levels—
the notorious “horrendogram”. With that in mind, it is noteworthy that Portugal’s
strategy embraces key environmental legal principles, such as the integrated management of ocean issues; the principle of sustainable development; the precautionary
principle, namely with respect to risk management; and the ecosystem approach, as a
methodology and framework for the integrated management of terrestrial and
aquatic ecosystems and their resources, with a view to their conservation and
sustainable use. But then again, one should not lose sight of the document’s essence:
a programmatic and strategical declaration of intentions, which envisages whereto
the country wishes to head in the future.
Three strategic cornerstones in the Portuguese strategy include ocean knowledge;
marine spatial planning and regulation; and the promotion of national interests. Here,
the Brazilian Marine Resources Policy is similar by focusing on the training of
human resources in ocean sciences; the intensification of MSR and the sustainable
exploitation of marine resources. Regarding the marine environment, the Portuguese
strategy emphasizes the action to protect and recover marine ecosystems,
establishing a national network of marine protected areas, and maintaining marine
habitats in a favorable condition, apart from monitoring the overall health status of
the Portuguese marine zones, in which it turns out to be rather more detailed than the
Brazilian PNRM. The macro-objective sought after through the implementation of
those core principles is rather straightforward: to turn the Portuguese seas into a
73 Barros-Platiau et al. (2015), p. 162.
74 “National Strategy for the Oceans”, Portugal, note supra.
9.1 Marine Environmental Governance in Brazil: Policies and Institutions
267