Planning the sea: why the Mediterranean is in need of maritime spatial planning
MEDSEAPLAN project enhances marine planning in the Mediterranean through innovative GIS model
The Mediterranean Sea is a victim of its own success. This semi-enclosed basin, characterised by high biodiversity, complex oceanographic gradients and strong anthropogenic pressure, covers less than 1% of the world’s oceans, yet is home to 10% of all known marine species.
Concurrently, it is also one of the world’s most intensively used seas. Every day, commercial shipping, fisheries, tourism, aquaculture, offshore energy developments and submarine infrastructure compete for the same limited marine space. As these activities expand and overlap, pressures on ecosystems intensify and conflicts between users become more frequent.
This is why Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP) is critical. MSP is a way to organise human activities at sea in a more structured and sustainable way. The EU recognised the importance of this approach and adopted the Maritime Spatial Planning Directive in 2014, asking member states to develop marine spatial plans.
But the Mediterranean Sea is shared by many countries with different policies, priorities and levels of data availability, which makes planning complex.
The MEDSEAPLAN project supports a more coordinated approach to marine planning in the Mediterranean. It brings together scientific institutions and planning authorities to improve the way we understand and manage marine space.
The project is implemented by a consortium of 16 partners from eight countries, reflecting its strong cross-border and multi-sector nature.
A key development of the project is the generation of the Sequential Hierarchical Intersection Layers (SHIL) model – a GIS-based decision-support framework designed to assist MSP through the systematic integration of ecological, environmental, and socio-economic information. Instead of considering marine data separately, SHIL combines layers of information, such as habitats, species distribution, biogeochemical parameters, human activities and environmental pressures.
By intersecting these layers sequentially, the model identifies spatial relationships that may not be evident during independent data analysis, allowing highlighting of zones of high ecological value, areas under pressure, and places where careful planning is needed to balance protection and development. The result is a clear and transparent method to support decisions, helping planners understand where interactions matter most.
By supporting more coherent and evidence-based marine planning, MEDSEAPLAN contributes to the objectives of the European Green Deal, the EU Biodiversity Strategy and the sustainable development of the Blue Economy, facilitating the longevity of marine ecosystems and coastal communities to continue thriving.
Project MEDSEAPLAN is financed by Xjenza Malta through the Sustainable Blue Economy Partnership that is supported by the European Union through Horizon Europe.
