International Trends in Ocean and Coastal Management in Brazil

Faced with the present scenarios of increasing uses of coastal and marine resources, the pressures on these ecosystems also tend to increase. Thus adjustments are required to the prevailing forms of coastal use and in the nature of coastal and ocean management performed presently in a manner that risk management could be better addressed. Integrated Coastal Zone Management is being consolidated increasingly as an international framework for coastal areas, whilst Marine Spatial Planning is emerging as a methodological approach for sea use management. Both concepts aim to influence the location, in space and time, of coastal and sea-based human activities, encourages compatibility of interests and reducing impacts of present and potential uses on these environments. Against this background, the purpose of the study is to investigate the influence of international trends in ocean and coastal management in Brazil, in theory and practice, mainly with respect to the adoption of Integrated Coastal Zone Management and Marine Spatial Planning concepts. The results have shown that Brazilian policy basis and initiatives have responded to Integrated Coastal Zone Management and Marine Spatial Planning frameworks, mainly with respect to: the integration of landward and seaward issues management; improvement of the knowledge about coastal and marine resources; and a risk management approach.