Relevant policies analysed include those relating to the marine environment, heritage, tourism, climate change and development, as well as county plans. 

Global: UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (UNESCO, 2003).

EU: Directive 2014/89/EU Establishing a Framework for Maritime Spatial Planning (EC, 2014); COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS A European Strategy for more Growth and Jobs in Coastal and Maritime Tourism /* COM/2014/086 (EC, 2014); Integrated Maritime Policy (EC, 2007); European Parliament resolution of 29 October 2015 on new challenges and concepts for the promotion of tourism in Europe (2014/2241(INI)) (European Parliament, 2014); European Parliament resolution of 8 September 2015 towards an integrated approach to cultural heritage for Europe (2014/2149(INI)) (European Parliament, 2014); COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS Europe, the world’s No 1 tourist destination – a new political framework for tourism in Europe (EC, 2010). 

National: Investing in our Culture, Language & Heritage 2018-2027 (Government of Ireland – Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht); Conserving Ireland’s Maritime Heritage (Heritage Council, 2006); Heritage Ireland 2030: Public Consultation (Government of Ireland, Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, 2018); An Integrated Marine Plan for Ireland: Roadmap (Government of Ireland, 2012); National Climate Change Adaptation Framework (Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government, 2012); Coastal Zone Management (Spatial Planning Unit, Department of the Environment and Local Government, 2001); National Marine Planning Framework: Baseline Report (Government of Ireland – Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government, 2018); 20-year Strategy for the Irish Language 2010-2030 (Government of Ireland); Tourism: An Industrial Strategy for Growth to 2025 (Irish Tourism Industry Confederation, 2018).; National Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage (Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, 2019).

Regional/Local: Galway County Heritage & Biodiversity Plan 2017-2022 (Galway County Heritage Forum); Galway City Council Climate Change and Sustainability Update (Galway City Council, 2018); Galway Heritage Plan 2015/2021 (The Heritage Council); Galway County 2040 (Galway County Council, 2017); The Connemara Coast & Aran Islands Visitor Experience Development Plan (prepared on behalf of Failte Ireland by a project team comprised of Team Tourism and Rethink Tourism, 2018); Galway County Development Plan 2015-2021 (Galway County Council). 

Relevant policies analysed include those relating to the marine environment, heritage, tourism, climate change and development, as well as local plans for coastal areas. 

National: UK Marine Policy Statement (UK Government, 2011). 

Regional: Planning Policy Statement 2: Natural Heritage (Department of the Environment, 2013); Towards an ICZM Strategy for Northern Ireland 2006-2026 (Department of the Environment, 2016); Draft Marine Plan for Northern Ireland Public Consultation  (Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, 2018); PPS 16: Tourism (Department of the Environment); PPS 6: Planning, Archaeology and the Built Heritage (Department of the Environment, 2013); PPS 23: Enabling Development for the Conservation of Significant Places (Department of the Environment, 2014); A Prospectus for Change: A Strategic Framework to Unlock the Potential of Heritage-led Tourism in Northern Ireland (Tourism Northern Ireland, 2017); Regional Development Strategy RDS 2035 (Department for Regional Development, 2012); Northern Ireland Climate Change Adaptation Programme (Department of the Environment, 2014). 

Local: Antrim Coast & Glens ANOB Management Plan (Antrim Coast & Glens AONB, 2008); Ards and Down Area Plan (Ards and Down Area Plan, 2009); Belfast Harbour Local Plan (1990-2005) (The Town and Country Planning Service of the Department of the Environment); Belfast Tourism Strategy 2015-2020 (Belfast City Council and the Northern Ireland Tourist Board, 2014); Banbridge/Newry and Mourne Area Plan 2015 (Department of the Environment, 2013); Causeway Coast AONB Action Plan 2013-2018 (Causeway Coast & Glens AONB, 2013); Causeway Coast and Glens Local Development Plan 2030: Sustainability Appraisal Interim Report (Shared Environmental Service in conjunction with Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council, 2018); Community Plan for Causeway Coast and Glens 2017-2030 (Causeway Coast & Glens Borough Council, 2018); Mourne AONB Action Plan (Northern Ireland Environment Agency (DofE) and the Mourne Heritage Trust, 2013); Mourne AONB Management Plan (Mourne Heritage Trust on behalf of the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (DofE), 2010); Northern Area Plan 2016 (Department of the Environment, 2015); Larne Area Plan 2010 (Department of the Environment, 1998); Draft East Bank Development Strategy (Belfast City Council, 2018). 

Policies are related to fisheries, marine spatial planning, local development, tourism and cultural heritage. 

IZCM protocol (Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Trade Promotion, 2019); Strategic Plan for Environment and Development (SPED) (Environment and Planning Authority (MEPA), 2015-2020, national); Protocol for the Protection of the Mediterranean Sea against Pollution (Foreign Affairs and Trade Promotion, 2019, EU and national); Litter Scheme (Ministry for the Environment, Sustainable Development and Climate Change, Secretary for Agriculture, Fisheries & Animal Rights, 2018, national); Boat Restoration Scheme (Ministry for the environment, sustainable development and climate change, 2018, national). Chapter 445 Cultural Heritage Act (Ministry for Cultural Heritage, 2002, national); National Tourism Policy 2015-2020 (national); Subsidiary legislation 499.23 Commercial vessels regulations, last edit 2014, national); Subsidiary legislation 499.52 Small ships regulations, last edit 2010, national); Subsidiary legislation 499.01 Port Regulations, last edit 2012, national); Subsidiary legislation 499.35 Port security regulations, last edit 2012, national); Subsidiary legislation 552.27 Maritime spatial planning regulations, 2016, national); Subsidiary legislation 441.08 Business hours regulations, 2017, national); Subsidiary legislation 441.07 Trading licences regulations, 2018, national).

Historical Monuments Statute; Natural Monuments Protection Act; Remarkable Heritage Spaces; Regional Nature Parks; Marine Nature Parks; National Parks; Coastal Conservatory; French Coastal Act (Loi Littorale) 1986; Territorial Urban Master Plans (SCOT); Local Urban Plans (PLU); Coastal Development Scheme (Schema de Mise en Valeur de la Mer – SMVM); Sea Basin Strategy Document (DSF).

National:

The National Ocean Strategy was published by the Ministry of Defense in 2009.  Preparations for the development of the MSP started in January 2009.

The ICZM Strategy for Portugal  (Estratégia Nacional para a Gestão Integrada da Zona Costeira – ENGIZC) was approved in 2009 (Resolução do Conselho de Ministros n.º 82/2009, de 8 de setembro). Cultural heritage is included in this Strategy. In the sequence of  ENGIZC, a Llitoral Working Group (Grupo de Trabalho do Litoral – GTL) was set in 2014 – Despacho 6574/2014, de 20 de Maio. ENGIZC is now operationalised through Litoral Action Plan XXI (Plano de Ação Litoral XXI) published in 2017.

Additionally, the Law 17/2014, published in April 2014, established the Basis of the Policy for Marine Spatial Planning and Management (MSP Law) of the National Maritime Space. It created a new framework for the implementation of a maritime spatial plan for the Portuguese marine waters. The Decree-Law 38/2015, published in March 2015, developed important aspects of the Law and transposed the EU MSP Directive. It defines two sets of spatial planning instruments, the Situation Plan (PSOEM – Plano de Situação do Ordenamento do Espaço Marítimo) and the Allocation Plans (AP – Planos de Afetação). PSOEM identifies the spatial and temporal distribution of existing and potential uses and activities to be developed under a private use permit, as well as the natural and cultural values of strategic importance for environmental sustainability and intergenerational solidarity. The AP aims to assign space to new uses and activities that are not included in the Situation Plan.

Regional: Polis litoral Ria de Aveiro – Integrated Requalification and Valorisation of the Coastal Border, carrying out a set of operations to requalify and valorise risk areas and degraded natural areas located on the coast. The area of intervention was 37,000 ha in 11 municipalities (Resolution of the Council of Ministers n.º 90/2008).

Coastal Zone Programs/Plans (POC’s) are part of the National Law for Land-Use Planning (Lei n.º 31/2014, de 30 de maio). In Portugal there are 5 POC’s covering the coastal territory in the country. Our Case Study region is covered by POC-OMG (Programa de Orla Costeira Ovar – Marinha Grande), which was approved by a Council of Ministers Resolution (Resolução de Conselho de Ministros n.º 112/2017, de 10 de Agosto).

Another Land–Use Planning Instrument (currently under development) to consider in our Case Study region is the Vouga Estuary Plan – one of the four in the Country. Estuary Plans (POE) are elaborated by Portuguese Environmental Agency (APA-ARH).

Municipal Master Plans (PDM’s) – These Plans set the land-use development strategies for municipalities.

Legal Protection:  The Ria de Aveiro lagoon is an important wetland integrated in the Natura 2000 Network, classified as Special Protect Area (SPA) under Directive birds (79/409/CEE) in 1999 and as a Site of Community Importance (SCI) under Directive habitats (42/92/CEE) in 2014.  Urban Canals regulation protects cultural heritage relating to traditional boats.

Policies are related to fisheries (CFP, Visserijwet), good environmental status, Natura 2000 birds and habitats directive, marine spatial planning, local development, tourism and cultural heritage.

–         Programma Rijke Waddenzee (Program Rich Waddensea): multi annual plan supporting policy, connecting parties, initiatives and knowledge, spurring innovation, creating policy support.

–         Convenant shrimp fisheries and nature ambition Rich Wadden Sea (VisWad): agreements for ecological and econ sustainable development of shrimp fishing, with as goal a Rich Waddensea in 2026.

–         Convent transition mussel sector and nature restoration Waddensea.

–         VIBEG: agreement on fishing in protected areas.

–         CFP

–         Sand supplementations

–         Seagrass restoration Waddensea

–         Fish migration river

–         Wind parks in Danish and German waters

https://www.waddenacademie.nl/organisatie/publicatie-lijst/publicatie-detail/visserij-op-de-waddenzee-in-vogelvlucht-update

Maritime Spatial Plan for the Pärnu county maritime areas (2017), Estonian Maritime Spatial Plan.