MPAMPA Zoning Zoning Process Process in Croatiain CroatiaMedPAN South Project ExperienceMedPAN South Project Experience

MedPAN South ProjectPilot Project Croatia

Zeljka Rajkovic

MPA ForumAntalya, Turkey, 25-28 November 2012

Zoning principles in PAs, introduction into zoning standard & zoning process

Zoning principles in PAs

• Zoning = spatial planning of the usage and management of an area in order to assure long-term conservation of natural values of PAs

• Number of zones and content of each zone significantly vary from country to country and there is no universal standard – each country develops its own standards

Zoning in Management Planning Documents

Management Plan

• Strategic planning document of the MPA• Looks at the space according to conservation objectives• Areas are planed for the implementation of certain management activities

• MANAGEMENT ZONES

Spatial Plan

• LAW

• Zoning takes into account the requirements of the space usage(touristic, construction, protection, transport, infrastructure, moorings,…)

• Mostly planning of interventions within usage zone of the management zones…

Should be compatible and complementary at the zones level.

Two types of zoning

Zoning in Management Planning Documents

Should be compatible and complementary at the zones level.

Management Plan

•Zoning – defined desirable, undesirable and forbidden activities

Rulebook on Internal Order

• Codes of conduct in different zones, bans, detailed regulation of usage, etc. - prescribed by legislation/regulation

Zoning Standard in Croatia

• Result of a number of years’ work of many nature conservation institution in Croatia

• Principles are partly based on IUCN PA management categories

• Divides PA into zones according to conservation objectives and management needs = MANAGEMENT ZONES

Development of Zoning Standard in Croatia

KEC Project – 2004/05• extensive discussion

• basic concept• first draft of standardized zones

SINP• further development through the application in management plans and spatial plans

MedPAN South Project• marine specificities

SINP & Ministry – 2011• further development – integration of marine specificities

• minimal standards

Management Planning - MedPAN South Project Experience in Croatia

Participatory planning

PlanningInvolving stakeholders

Facilitation

Thematic workshops

Process approach

Series of stakeholder workshops Complementary internal workshops (with Park staff)

Zoning Process within MedPAN South Project in Croatia

• Zoning – part of the management planning process in Croatia

• Marine spatial planning workshop with NOAA – June 2010

• Stakeholder workshop on the development of the management plan zoning proposal

• Input into GIS

• Detailed description of zones

• Incorporating zoning into the Management Plan 2012-2021

• Incorporating zoning into regulation – Rulebook on Internal Order

Marine Spatial Planning Workshop with NOAA

Marine Spatial Planning Workshop

Participants MPAs

Ministry

State Institute for Nature Protection

Fisheries Directorate

Spatial planners

Etc.

MPA Zoning Planning Process Model

Meeting on the Standardization of Marine Zones

• Purpose and need for standardized approach• Spatial planning in Croatian MPAs• Overview of the zoning process• Zoning of MPAs• Basic process steps for marine spatial planning• Working group results• Discussion: agreement on zone category standards for MPAs• Coordination between institutions • Next steps in standardization of zoning in MPAs

Zoning Standard in Croatia

Zoning Standard in Croatia

• In accordance with necessary level of protectionwhich is determined by the existing habitats and species and existing and/or permitted human activities in a certain area

• Zones in the range from the level where almost no human impact is allowed up to the usage zone where natural area within the zone can be significantly altered

• All zones envisaged within the zoning system do not have to be present in every PA

Zoning Standard in Croatia

Strict protection zone

Ia Very strict protection subzoneIb Strict protection subzone

II. Directed protection zone

if needed, subzones can be defined – IIa, IIb,…

III. Usage zone

if needed, subzones can be defined – IIIa, IIIb…

Without human impact (pristine nature)

Conservation measuresregulated use

Altered nature

Zoning Standards in Croatia

• If necessary, zones can be divided into a number of subzones

• Within subzones all general rules of the zone apply alongside additional regulation

• All existing zones do not have to be present in every PA

• Zone does not imply the value of an area, but a need for the management of the area

Minimum Standards

-Harbors-Moorings-Marine transport routes

Management objective of this zone area is sustainable use of space, in accordance with the biodiversity and landscape diversity conservation objectives of the area.

USAGE ZONE

-Fishing areas are managed in accordance with the Marine Fisheries Act and prescribed nature protection conditions, in other words based on Nature Protection Act and its by-laws

IT IS NECESSARY TO DETERMINE ZONES IN WHICH ANCHORING IS RECOMMENDED AND ZONES IN WHICH ANCHORING IS FORBIDDEN.

Management objective of this zone area is conservation of natural processes and habitats(land, water, marine and underground) and their components.

DIRECTED PROTECTION ZONE

-Scientific research, inventarisation, biodiversity monitoring- restricted and controlled visitation under the supervision of the MPA (SCUBA diving, visitors groups)

IT IS NECESSARY TO REGULATE THE SPEED AND THE SIZE OF THE VESSELS.

STRICT PROTECTION ZONE

-Scientific research, inventarisation, biodiversity monitoring

-All types of natural resources extraction-Interventions in space, except for special cases like removal of IAS, recovery from accidents, in accordance with the provisions of the Nature Protection Act-Visitation-Anchoring -Setting up of the marine transport route

Management objective of this zone area is conservation of natural processes and habitats, together with their components.

VERY STRICT PROTECTION ZONE

STRICT PROTECTION ZONE

PERMITTEDFORBIDDEN

MINIMUM ACTIVITIESZONE PURPOSEZONE NAME

Stakeholder Workshops on Zoning

Stakeholder Workshops on Zoning

Stakeholders

Marine Spatial Planning Workshop

NATURE CONSERVATION

FISHERIES

SPATIAL PLANNING

OTHER STAKEHOLDERS

Ministry of Environmental and Nature ProtectionState Institute for Nature Protection

University of ZagrebNGOs

Ministry of Agriculture – Fisheries DirectorateFishermen

Ministry of Construction and Spatial PlanningCounty level Spatial Planning Institutes

Croatian ArmyCitizen Association Telascica (land owners)

Croatian Chamber of Agriculture

Zoning Process within MedPAN South Project

Groups

LAND SEA

STANDARD ZONES

•Strict protection zone•Directed protection zone•Usage zone

Zoning Process within MedPAN South Project

Main conservation objectives

Spatial distribution of values and usages

MAPS

MATRICES

Compatibility between different usages and objectives

Compatibility between different usages

Zoning Process within MedPAN South Project

Zoning of sea according to activities

Permitted activities

Forbidden activities

Regulated activities(conditions)

Based on minimum standards

Regulated Activities - Examples

• SCUBA diving – at a certain location; whole year• snorkeling – with a guide• anchoring – small fishing vessels for recreational fisheries up to certain weight• sailing (in the special purpose usage zone) – under Ministry ofDefense surveillance• swimming – allowed except in places where it is forbidden; seasonal, coast of islands Jerolim and Kozada• mooring – seasonal, certain locations• sea kayak – to be determined; organized; decide on locations and code of conduct

Stakeholder Workshops

Stakeholder Workshops

Results

Results

• Zoning in three MPAs developed through participatory approach (stakeholder workshops)

• Specificity of marine zoning

• Activity matrix

SINP & Ministry:

• Standardized zoning

• Minimum standards

STRICT PROTECTION ZONE

• SUBZONE 1a – very strict protection zone

• SUBZONE 1b – strict protection zone

DIRECTED PROTECTION ZONE

• Fisheries ban subzone• Subzone of the directed

conservation of biological marine resources

• Economic activities regulation subzone

USAGE ZONE

Nature Park Telascica

Nature Park Telascica

National Park Brijuni

Public Institution National Park Brijuni

ZONE COVERAGE

Zones - land km2 %

1a Very strict protection zone 0,05 0,61

1b Strict protection zone 1,04 12,76

1c Special usage zone / /

2b Directed protection zone - land 5,78 70,92

3 Usage zone 1,28 15,71

Total - land 8,15 100,00

Zone - sea km2 %

1a Very strict protection zone 1,27 4,73

1b Strict protection zone 14,27 53,17

1c Special usage zone 8,01 29,84

2a Directed protection zone - sea 3,19 11,89

3 Usage zone 0,10 0,37

Total - sea 26,84 100,00

National Park Brijuni

Activities

1 Strict Protection Zone2

Directed Protection

Zone

3Usage Zone

1a Very Strict

Protection Zone

1b Strict

Protection Zone

1c Special Purpose

Usage Zone

Research ���� ���� ���� ���� ����

SCUBA diving X R R R X

Snorkelling X R R R X

Anchoring X X X R X

Sailing X ���� R ���� ����

Swimming X R R R X

Fishing from the sea

X X X R X

Fishing from the land

X X X R X

Mooring X R X R ����

Sea kayak X ���� R R ����

Visitation X R R ���� ����

Traditional agriculture

X X X ���� ����

Sport & Recreation

X X X R ����

Regulation of activities by zones

� - Permitted

activities

R - Regulated

activities

X - Forbidden

activities

Lastovo Islands Nature Park

Challenges, Next Steps and Summary

Challenges

• cooperation with stakeholders (fishermen, Croatian Army)

• compatibility with existing spatial plan zoning (Brijuni)

• location of no-take zones

• defining minimal standards for zones

• with the new Marine Fisheries Act nature parks became fishing areas in 2010 ⇒ zoning of the sea and regulating fisheries in nature parks:

• jurisdiction • process approach• regulatory strength• enforceability in practice

Next Steps

• Integration of zoning into other management documents – amendments or adoption of new Rulebooks on Internal Order

• In Telascica spatial planners will use management plan zoning in updating zoning of the spatial plan

MedPAN South Project Experience - Summary

• Training on Marine Spatial Planning with NOAA

• Participatory approach to zoning:• stakeholder workshop

• Specificity of marine zoning / spatial planning –activity matrix

• Compatibility matrix / analysis of compatibility uses

• With SINP & Ministry: • Standardization of management zonesMinimum standards

• Integration of zoning into other management documents

Thanks

• Ministry of Environmental and Nature Protection

• State Institute for Nature Protection

• Association Sunce

• Croatian MPAs