B. Glaeser
partment and a recreation department. Each municipality is obliged to have an overall plan for land and water use within its territory: management of coastal zone includes the interaction between coastal land and offshore waters (cf. Ackefors and
Grip 1995).
National interests are handled by the county administrative boards, which are regional government agencies. They employ experts on environmental protection, fisheries, aquaculture, physical planning and regional finance in their departments. On the
national level, sector authorities supply advice and guidelines to the Government. Areas of national interest are to be specified and presented to the municipalities. Coastal
management is a multi-sectoral issue. Management has to be implemented by various
sectoral agencies, but different sector plans compete for the same space in the coastal zone.
Sweden follows "the public review principle", which means that all planning documents are accessible for the public for a period of at least two months for comment.
This planning process is a top-down process, complemented by the work on local
Agenda 21 in Swedish municipalities as a bottom-up process. This process also includes
local coastal management problems.
To start an activity permission to use the land or water for that purpose must be
obtained. The following are the most important laws in the permit process (Ackefors
and Grip, 1995):
• The Natural Resources Management Act (NRMA) contains general rules on the use
ofland and water and the environment designed to encourage good long-term management in ecological, social and economic terms. It is an umbrella act, with basic
requirements for natural resources management. Permit applications are considered
by the Government.
• The Environment Protection Act governs non-mobile hazardous activities, many of
which require a permit. A control programme often includes monitoring and inspections.
• The Water Act requires a Water Court permit for industrial development and construction in the water. Permit applications are handled by the Water Court, while
inspection is the task of the County Administrative Board.
• The Planning and Building Act requires a planning permission for most activities
on land. It includes details about siting, the size of buildings and protection zones .
.{\pplications for permission are handled by the municipality.
• The Fisheries Act governs fisheries management, including fish diseases. The rules
have been harmonized with European Union regulations. The National Board of
Fisheries has overall responsibility; surveillance is done by the Coast Guard.
• The Nature Conservation Act regulates nature conservation and shore protection.
The shore protection zone extends 100 m from the shoreline and may be extended
by up to 300 m. The aim is to ensure public access to the shore. Activities preventing
public access require a permit which is the responsibility of the countyadministrative board, sometimes of the municipality.
• The Water Pollution Act regulates discharge from ships and floating constructions.
Permit applications are done by the National Maritime Administration.
Applications under most of these acts must include an environmental impact assessment (EIA). Environmental impact assessments are a fairly new tool in Swedish
partment and a recreation department. Each municipality is obliged to have an overall plan for land and water use within its territory: management of coastal zone includes the interaction between coastal land and offshore waters (cf. Ackefors and
Grip 1995).
National interests are handled by the county administrative boards, which are regional government agencies. They employ experts on environmental protection, fisheries, aquaculture, physical planning and regional finance in their departments. On the
national level, sector authorities supply advice and guidelines to the Government. Areas of national interest are to be specified and presented to the municipalities. Coastal
management is a multi-sectoral issue. Management has to be implemented by various
sectoral agencies, but different sector plans compete for the same space in the coastal zone.
Sweden follows "the public review principle", which means that all planning documents are accessible for the public for a period of at least two months for comment.
This planning process is a top-down process, complemented by the work on local
Agenda 21 in Swedish municipalities as a bottom-up process. This process also includes
local coastal management problems.
To start an activity permission to use the land or water for that purpose must be
obtained. The following are the most important laws in the permit process (Ackefors
and Grip, 1995):
• The Natural Resources Management Act (NRMA) contains general rules on the use
ofland and water and the environment designed to encourage good long-term management in ecological, social and economic terms. It is an umbrella act, with basic
requirements for natural resources management. Permit applications are considered
by the Government.
• The Environment Protection Act governs non-mobile hazardous activities, many of
which require a permit. A control programme often includes monitoring and inspections.
• The Water Act requires a Water Court permit for industrial development and construction in the water. Permit applications are handled by the Water Court, while
inspection is the task of the County Administrative Board.
• The Planning and Building Act requires a planning permission for most activities
on land. It includes details about siting, the size of buildings and protection zones .
.{\pplications for permission are handled by the municipality.
• The Fisheries Act governs fisheries management, including fish diseases. The rules
have been harmonized with European Union regulations. The National Board of
Fisheries has overall responsibility; surveillance is done by the Coast Guard.
• The Nature Conservation Act regulates nature conservation and shore protection.
The shore protection zone extends 100 m from the shoreline and may be extended
by up to 300 m. The aim is to ensure public access to the shore. Activities preventing
public access require a permit which is the responsibility of the countyadministrative board, sometimes of the municipality.
• The Water Pollution Act regulates discharge from ships and floating constructions.
Permit applications are done by the National Maritime Administration.
Applications under most of these acts must include an environmental impact assessment (EIA). Environmental impact assessments are a fairly new tool in Swedish