Abstract

BARRAGAN, Juan M.  and  ANDRES, María de. Main aspects for integrated coastal zone management in Spain: concepts, terminology, context, and delimitation criteria. RGCI [online]. 2016, vol.16, n.2, pp.171-183. ISSN 1646-8872.  https://doi.org/10.5894/rgci638.

This paper shows the study and analysis of different interesting aspects for integrated coastal zone management in Spain. These aspects have relationship among them. Firstly, some main concepts are analysed and defined. This is because the Estate and Regional Administrations responsibilities use these concepts with different accuracy. Afterward, different context of coastal management are studied: technical-scientific (ecosystem based management, marine spatial planning), international policies (with the important role of European Commission), national policies (estate and regional responsibilities, and their instruments). Finally, littoral is interpreted as a socio-ecological system based on geographic, ecologic, and administrative criteria. In consequence, the coastal zone delimitation has a more integrated approach. The results show a zonation model where is considered as inland area as marine area, and their relations. Seven zones are differentiated in this model. These zones are classified in three greater units, which are of great interest for integrated coastal zone management: Coast, littoral and influence zone. A) Coast: it is the area, which is to both sides to the coastal line. This area is in contact between sea hydrosphere and lithosphere, and it is the centre of the geographic scheme. When different socio-economic criteria are applied, this area could divide in: 1) shoreland, 2) intertidal area, 3) coastal waters. B) Littoral: it corresponds to the area close to the coast in both sides. It is an important area to integrated coastal zone management. The geographical characteristics of this area allow divide it in two different units: 4) coastal uplands and 5) coastal zone waters. C) Influence zone: This unit could be identified with great areas close to the littoral. This area has important relations with the previous units. This unit is divided in two zones: 6) inland and 7) ocean waters. The zonation obtained from the results is different than the classification from an administrative perspective. This is because; the traditional zonation is from sectorial criteria. But in this research, the classification is about geographical and ecologic criteria. For this reason, coordination and cooperation process are very important to obtain an ecosystem-based management.

Keywords : coastal zonation; ecosystem based management; socio-ecologic system; integrated coastal zone management; Spain.

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