Marine spatial planning and oil spill risk analysis: finding common grounds.
A flow of key information links marine spatial planning (MSP) and oil spill risk analysis (OSRA), two distinct processes needed to achieve true sustainable management of coastal and marine areas. OSRA informs MSP on areas of high risk to oil spills allowing a redefinition of planning objectives and the relocation of activities to increase the ecosystem's overall utility and resilience. Concomitantly, MSP continuously generates a large amount of data that is vital to OSRA. The Environmental Sensitivity Index (ESI) mapping system emerges as an operational tool to implement the MSP-OSRA link. Given the high level of commonalities between ESI and MSP data (both in biophysical and human dimensions), ESI tools (both paper maps and dynamic GIS-based product) are easily developed to further inform MSP and oil spill risk management. Finally, several other benefits from implementing the MSP-OSRA link are highlighted.
Centro de Oceanografia, Laboratório Marítimo da Guia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Avenida Nossa Senhora do Cabo 939, 2750-374 Cascais, Portugal; Duke University Marine Laboratory, Nicholas School of the Environment and Earth Sciences, Duke University, 135 Duke Marine Lab Road, Beaufort, NC 28516-9721, USA. Electronic address: cfsantos@fc.ul.pt.
Catarina
C
Frazão Santos
Jaqueline
J
Michel
Mário
M
Neves
João
J
Janeiro
Francisco
F
Andrade
Michael
M
Orbach
D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources / Q000379:methods*; D009792:Oceans and Seas; D059392:Petroleum Pollution / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010934:Planning Techniques; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods; D062206:Spatial Analysis; D014877:Water Pollution, Chemical / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
Environmental Sensitivity Index mapping; Environmental management; Marine spatial planning; Oil spills; Risk analysis