Finding harmony in the sea: Resolving conflicts by regional marine spatial planning

Ocean space is of paramount importance to coastal regions worldwide. However, rapid coastal development has led to competition in marine spatial allocation, exacerbating conflicts within maritime domains. Despite significant progress in establishing regulations for coastal governance in Taiwan, conflicts across diverse maritime industries due to a lack of marine spatial planning (MSP) institutions remain a persistent challenge. Potential conflict areas were identified via geographic information system (GIS) maps to assist maritime governance and used in several rounds of coordination meetings with stakeholders for zoning. A regional MSP framework for improving maritime governance is proposed based on a case study, which shows that even without legal MSP institutions, local or certain central government departments can act as the key authorities for implementing the bottom-up planning concept with strong engagement from local communities. The proposed planning process includes: (1) establishing and employing a monitoring system to promptly identify marine activities that can facilitate efficient enforcement; (2) continuous communication with stakeholders led by the local government to improve amendment regulations and aid compliance; and (3) prioritizing the preservation of traditional use rights with community self-management to accelerate regional MSP processes.