Policy: Marine spatial planning framework published

A marine spatial planning framework was gazetted on Friday – giving context to the Bill tabled last month in Parliament. As Legalbrief Today has already reported, the new piece of legislation seeks to facilitate good ocean governance by providing for the development and implementation of a ‘shared’ environmental management system for South African waters, in keeping with the country’s international obligations. This is noting the importance of mitigating ‘conflict situations’ that could arise from ever-increasing, ‘more intensive’ multiple sector ocean usage, reports Pam Saxby.

Once in force, the new piece of legislation will apply to all organs of state involved in planning and management activities affecting: South African territorial waters; the exclusive economic zone and continental shelf; and zones around the Prince Edward Islands. However, its scope does not include freshwater bodies and estuaries as defined in the 2008 National Environmental Management: Integrated Coastal Management Act. Over time, the physical, chemical and biological ocean processes to be mapped and documented in terms of the proposed new statute will inform the identification and promotion of sustainable opportunities across the ocean economy.