Chungnam, Marine Spatial Management to Prevent Marine Overdevelopment and User Conflicts

[Asia Economy (Naepo) Reporter Jeong Il-woong] Chungnam Province is embarking on marine spatial management to prevent social conflicts arising from marine indiscriminate development and marine use.

The province announced on the 13th that it will establish and implement the "2020 Chungnam Marine Spatial Management Plan" in collaboration with the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, based on this content.

The Marine Spatial Management Plan focuses on preserving the marine ecosystem, whose value has declined due to indiscriminate use and development, and resolving conflicts among users by pre-setting the core uses and management directions of marine spaces, considering the value and development potential of the marine ecosystem.

To establish the plan, the province will first identify the characteristics of marine spaces and the demands for use and conservation, then conduct a spatial characteristic evaluation based on collected and analyzed data, designating and managing 9 marine use zones.

The marine use zones will be determined by conducting a basic survey of 8,200㎢ of territorial waters within the province and setting directions according to the characteristics and demands of each sea area.

The specific designated zones will be divided into areas such as ▲fishing activity protection ▲environment and ecosystem management ▲marine tourism ▲energy development ▲gravel and minerals ▲ports and navigation ▲research and education ▲safety management ▲military activities.

Based on this plan, the province aims to maximize marine value by enabling the coexistence of ecological, cultural, and economic values, and to prevent indiscriminate development and destruction of the marine ecosystem.

Han Jun-seop, Director of the Marine and Fisheries Bureau of the province, said, "From the initial stage of establishing the Marine Spatial Management Plan, we have led the participation of local residents and stakeholders to gather opinions," and added, "The province will establish a new paradigm so that a ‘plan first, then use’ system can take root in conserving and utilizing our waters."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.