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Best practice

Integrated Marine and Coastal Area Management (IMCAM)

As many customary approaches to the management of marine and coastal resources have shown limited success in conserving marine and coastal biological diversity, new models have evolved to move planners toward multiple-use, systems-oriented modes of management, based on precautionary approaches and ecosystem management principles.

Integrated Marine and Coastal Area Management (IMCAM) or Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM), as it is sometimes called, is a participatory process for decision-making to prevent, control, or mitigate adverse impacts from human activities in the marine and coastal environment, and to contribute to the restoration of degraded coastal areas. It involves all stakeholders, including: decision-makers in the public and private sectors; resource owners, managers and users; non-governmental organizations; and the general public. Crucial components of effective IMCAM have proven to be relevant sectoral activities, such as construction and mining in coastal areas, mariculture, mangrove management, tourism, recreation, fishing practices and land-based activities, including watershed management.

Integrated management programmes have already demonstrated their potential as an effective tool in developed and developing countries around the world, by providing a suitable framework for addressing human impacts on marine and coastal biological diversity and for promoting its conservation and sustainable use.