Integrated Ocean and Coastal Zone Management in France: Some Perspectives

Abstract

French integrated ocean management takes place in the framework of the Integrated Maritime Policy (IMP), the European policy whose aim is to foster coherent decision-making. France has to respect the European commitments imposed by the IMP and especially the Marine Strategy and the Maritime Spatial Planning Directives. On this basis, France has adopted a National Sea and Coast Strategy. The Strategy defines four maritime façades. For each façade, a strategic document, under development, will be the reference framework, taken into account by all maritime actions. The scheme set up by the French maritime strategy is ambitious and complex. Let’s hope that it will be a suitable manner to develop a real integrated ocean management policy in France.