ECOAST

About the Project:

ECOAST aimed to identify, develop and test new methodologies for spatial and temporal management of fisheries and aquaculture in coastal areas. The overall approach assessed the impact of fisheries and aquaculture on coastal ecosystems, as well as synergies and conflicts between human activities. Building on previous methodologies and experiences the project evaluated marine spatial planning in seven coastal case study areas with different ecological and socio-economic characteristics: Adriatic Sea, Ionian Sea, Black Sea, Tyrrhenian Sea, Baltic Sea, Norwegian fjords and North-East Atlantic coast.

The project outcomes produced a case specific evaluation of the ecological footprints of aquaculture and fisheries in coastal areas, maps of optimal use areas for fisheries and aquaculture, evaluation of compatibility between fisheries, aquaculture and other human activities in coastal areas, as well as implementation of holistic methods and an operational modelling framework to evaluate and predict stakeholder responses to coastal spatial management options covering marine cross sector occupation of space.