19
3.6. Scales of MSP
Whether the approach is ecological, socio-economic or governmental, there are important factors
to consider in the definition of „scale‟ in general (table 5).
The definition of an MSP scale is critical as it shapes the rest of the process. It is an aspect that
directly influences or even predetermines the subprocesses, activities, and features of the MSP
process, such as data collection. To consider all these implications, we could define a scale at a
jurisdictional (International, national, provincial, local), ecological or socio-economic level of
the MSP process, and its components, in space, and time.
The geographical scale of an MSP plan is generally determined by the scope of action i.e., the
management regimes that flow from MSP initiatives, such as coastal management, and zonings.
Thus, the cartographic documents of a plan of national scale will have variable sub-scales,
adapted to the territory.
Table 5 : Different factors related to planning geographical scales (Suarez de Vivero 2001, MSPglobal, 2021)
Denomination
Description
Political
instruments
Maritime
jurisdiction
Morphology
Ecosystems
International
scale
Geographical
scope of treaties
International
treaties
EEZ / High
seas
Ocean /Sea
basins (subglobal)
Large marine
ecosystems
Internationalregional scale
(Macroregion)
Specific
geographical
areas subscribed
to regional
maritime
management
conventions
Regional
Convention
(UNEP /
Regional
Seas)
EEZ / High
seas
Ocean / Sea
basins
Ecoregions
National scale
(Meso-region)
State‟s jurisdictional waters
as a whole
State
EEZ
Territorial sea
Internal waters
Ocean / Sea
sub-basin
Bio-geographical
regions
Nationalregional scale
Marine
subdivisions
established for
State‟s
jurisdictional
waters as a
whole
Federation
States /
Autonomous
regions
Territorial sea
Internal waters
Gulfs,
estuaries,
bays, inlets
Continental
shelf, and slope
Seamounts
Submarine
canyons
Marine
phanerogam
prairies
Subregional
scale
Marine
subregions, and
subzones
established in
each of the
nationalregional scale
subdivisions
Provinces
Municipalities
Counties
Territorial sea
Internal waters
Gulfs,
estuaries,
bays, inlets
Continental
shelf, and slope
Seamounts
Submarine
canyons
Marine
phanerogam
prairies
Local scale
Special marine
planning areas,
and
scope of port
spaces
Municipalities
Port
authorities
--------------
3.6. Scales of MSP
Whether the approach is ecological, socio-economic or governmental, there are important factors
to consider in the definition of „scale‟ in general (table 5).
The definition of an MSP scale is critical as it shapes the rest of the process. It is an aspect that
directly influences or even predetermines the subprocesses, activities, and features of the MSP
process, such as data collection. To consider all these implications, we could define a scale at a
jurisdictional (International, national, provincial, local), ecological or socio-economic level of
the MSP process, and its components, in space, and time.
The geographical scale of an MSP plan is generally determined by the scope of action i.e., the
management regimes that flow from MSP initiatives, such as coastal management, and zonings.
Thus, the cartographic documents of a plan of national scale will have variable sub-scales,
adapted to the territory.
Table 5 : Different factors related to planning geographical scales (Suarez de Vivero 2001, MSPglobal, 2021)
Denomination
Description
Political
instruments
Maritime
jurisdiction
Morphology
Ecosystems
International
scale
Geographical
scope of treaties
International
treaties
EEZ / High
seas
Ocean /Sea
basins (subglobal)
Large marine
ecosystems
Internationalregional scale
(Macroregion)
Specific
geographical
areas subscribed
to regional
maritime
management
conventions
Regional
Convention
(UNEP /
Regional
Seas)
EEZ / High
seas
Ocean / Sea
basins
Ecoregions
National scale
(Meso-region)
State‟s jurisdictional waters
as a whole
State
EEZ
Territorial sea
Internal waters
Ocean / Sea
sub-basin
Bio-geographical
regions
Nationalregional scale
Marine
subdivisions
established for
State‟s
jurisdictional
waters as a
whole
Federation
States /
Autonomous
regions
Territorial sea
Internal waters
Gulfs,
estuaries,
bays, inlets
Continental
shelf, and slope
Seamounts
Submarine
canyons
Marine
phanerogam
prairies
Subregional
scale
Marine
subregions, and
subzones
established in
each of the
nationalregional scale
subdivisions
Provinces
Municipalities
Counties
Territorial sea
Internal waters
Gulfs,
estuaries,
bays, inlets
Continental
shelf, and slope
Seamounts
Submarine
canyons
Marine
phanerogam
prairies
Local scale
Special marine
planning areas,
and
scope of port
spaces
Municipalities
Port
authorities
--------------