INTRO TO Coastal Zone Management

The extent of territorial waters defines the Coastal zones up to the high watermark. They are long, narrow features of mainland, islands and seas, generally forming the outer boundary of the coastal domain. The Coastal Zone Management (CZM) is a process of governance that consists of the legal and institutional framework necessary to ensure that development and management plans for coastal zones are integrated with environmental and social goals, and are developed with the participation of those affected. The goals of the Coastal Management (CZM) are to “preserve, protect, develop, enhance, and restore where possible, the coastal resources.” The purposes of Coastal Zone Management are given below: To maximize the benefits provided by the coastal zone, To minimize conflicts and harmful effects of activities upon each other, resources and the environment, To promote linkages between sectoral activities and To guide coastal area development in an ecologically sustainable fashion.
The prime objective of CZM is to create a balance between development needs and protection of natural resources which means if coastal ecosystems are managed through the guiding principles of sustainability, then livelihoods of millions will be protected and their survival guaranteed.

Coastal Zone Management is an interdisciplinary and inter-sectoral approach to problem definition and solutions in the coastal zone. Hence, faces numerous challenges which are given: Failure to appreciate the interconnections within coastal systems, Inadequate legislation and lack of enforcement, Limited understanding and experience in ICZM, Limited knowledge of coastal and marine processes, lack of trained personnel, relevant technologies and equipment. The Coastal Zone Management (CZM) is based on two sets of principle- firstly agreed international norms, which were set out in the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development; and secondly based on bio-physical nature of the coastal zone.