Marine Spatial Planning

Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) is a new way of looking at how we use the marine area and planning how best to use it into the future. MSP will try to balance the different demands for using the sea including the need to protect the marine environment. It's about planning when and where human activities take place at sea. It’s about ensuring these activities are as efficient and sustainable as possible. Marine spatial planning involves stakeholders in a transparent way in the planning of maritime activities. Under the Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP) Directive all coastal member states of the European Union have prepared a national maritime spatial plan.

Ireland’s Marine Spatial Plan is known as the National Marine Planning Framework.

The National Marine Planning Framework (NMPF) brings together all marine-based human activities for the first time, outlining the Government’s vision, objectives and marine planning policies for each marine activity. The competent authority for MSP in Ireland is the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications (DECC).

The Marine Institute identifies and collates data from both national and international sources, evaluating its relevance and quality to facilitate best-informed decision-making. Effectively managing and integrating this data, which spans multiple disciplines, is vital for ensuring evidence-based policy-making, regulation, and the sustainable management and development of Ireland’s marine resources.

The Marine Institute provides and supports a range of data products for Ireland's Marine Spatial Plan. These include:

Marine Institute’s Data Catalogue,

Ireland’s Marine Atlas,

Ireland's Ocean Economy Dashboard,

and Ireland’s MSP geoportal: marineplan.ie.