Objectives and outcomes
The marine environment makes up 96% of Jersey's territorial area and includes the:
- intertidal area
- seabed
- sea itself
- sea surface
- air above it
This diverse area hosts various ecosystem services that support human activities. Those activities include fishing, conservation efforts and recreational activities. As a result, marine space has become a crowded space, and different uses of the marine environment conflict with one another.
Objectives
An MSP's primary aim is to make sure we understand how people value and interact with our marine environment, which is achieved by making sure the MSP uses various evidence based factors.
The MSP process aims to find a balance between the different uses we have for our marine environment, and to make sure we interact with our local ecosystems in a sustainable manner.
Outcomes
Through the MSP process, there will be an evidence gathering stage to highlight how Jersey's marine environment is currently used throughout its different areas.
We will focus on human activity and how those activities relate to the ecology of our marine environment. Gathering evidence of this relationship will allow us to determine how sensitive our marine environment is to the various ways humans interact with it.
This will be assessed at a habitat level to demonstrate the importance of biodiversity and the ecosystems that are affected by human interaction.
The outcome of the MSP process is to make sure our marine environment is better protected and enjoyed for generations to come.
Marine Ecosystem Services
The 4 categories for ecosystem services are:
Provisioning services
These are products obtained from ecosystems such as:
- fish
- shellfish
- seaweed
- energy
Cultural services
These are non-material benefits people obtain from ecosystems such as:
- tourism
- recreational and educational activities
- archaeology
- heritage
- spiritual and cultural wellbeing
Regulating services
These are benefits obtained from the regulation of ecosystem processes such as:
- natural hazard regulation
- regulation of water and sediment quality
- pollutant capture
- carbon sequestration
- climate regulation
Supporting services
These are services that are necessary for the production of all other ecosystem services such as habitats, nutrient cycles and photosynthesis.
The MSP structure
The final MSP will include:
- a policy map showing the extent of zones and the locations where specific policies apply
- a policy document which details the physical characteristics and current uses of the marine environment, along with policies for its future management
- an evidence base which supports the policies described in the policy map and policy document
This will include an online interactive atlas showing the spatial extent of habitats and the areas used for different human activities identified through existing datasets and the stakeholder engagement process.
All documents will be made available at the end of the process through the Jersey MSP Portal. Printed versions of the policy map and policy document will also be available.
Timetable
Work is already underway on gathering information for the evidence base and we anticipate that the Jersey MSP will be produced to the following timetable:
January to February 2023
| Evidence base compilation and review
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February to March 2023
| Stakeholder consultation workshops and suggestions window
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April to July 2023
| Writing draft MSP document and developing draft map |
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August 2023
| Consultation draft published |
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September to October 2023
| Consultation process |
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November 2023
| Edits following consultation |
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December 2023
| Final documents issued and Jersey MSP Portal launched
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How you can get involved
Public participation and involvement from the outset of this project is fundamental to making a successful Marine Spatial Plan for the Island.
Your involvement allows public concerns to be addressed and to make sure local knowledge is highlighted and implemented into the MSP.
There will be 3 opportunities for you to contribute at different stages.
Marine Spatial Plan workshops (28 February to 6 March)
These workshops are an opportunity to find out more about the MSP, to contribute specialist knowledge and to share your vision for Jersey's marine environment.
To register your interest in the workshops, email msp@gov.je.
The email must include:
- your full name
- what sector or organisation you are associated with
- which workshops you are interested in attending
Biodiversity and cultural heritage
| Tuesday 28 February
3pm to 5pm
| Location TBC
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Coastal tourism and watersports
| Wednesday 1 March
3pm to 5pm
| Location TBC
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Fishing (commercial and reactional) and aquaculture
| Thursday 2 March
5pm to 7pm
| Location TBC |
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Energy and infrastructure
| Friday 3 March
10am to 12pm
| Location TBC |
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Online session
| Monday 6 March
3pm to 5pm
| Location TBC |
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Submitting suggestions (6 March to 7 April)
If you were unable to attend the stakeholder workshops but would like to contribute to the Marine Spatial Plan, email msp@gov.je and we will send you more information. Comments will be received until 7 April for the initial consultation period.
A wider public consultation will follow in the summer.
Commenting on the consultation draft (September to October)
Following publication of the consultation draft of the MSP Policy Map and Policy Document there will be an opportunity for you to comment before the final versions are produced.
The team
To achieve this plan, consultants have been brought on board who have experience working with the specific needs of island life. This has been demonstrated by their policy making and their work on the Island Plan.
Government of Jersey Marine Resources have commissioned Fiona Fyfe Associates to prepare the MSP. Government of Jersey are providing much of the evidence base and will be closely involved with the project. Their team includes specialists in marine planning, marine biology and mapping.
Fiona Fyfe and her team know Jersey's landscapes and seascapes well through previous projects, such as the recent Integrated Landscape and Seascape Character Assessment, which is in regular use by several Government of Jersey departments.
gov.je