IOC Manuals and Guides

These guidelines aim to assist policy makers and managers in the reduction of the risks to coastal communities, their infrastructure and service-providing ecosystems from tsunamis, storm surges and other coastal hazards within the phased framework of Integrated Coastal Area Management (ICAM).

During recent years, marine spatial planning (MSP) has been the focus of considerable interest throughout the world, particularly in heavily used marine areas. MSP offers countries an operational framework to maintain the value of their marine biodiversity while at the same time allowing sustainable use of the economic potential of their oceans. Essentially, MSP is an approach that can make key components of ecosystem-based management of marine areas a reality.