Published on European MSP Platform (https://www.msp-platform.eu)

Spain

Basic facts on Marine Waters: 
  • Spain has established an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in the Atlantic Ocean (Law 15/1978)
  • Spain has established an EEZ in the North-west Mediterranean Sea, by Royal Decree 236/2013 of 5 April 2013.
  • Spain has an agreement with Italy on the delimitation of the continental shelf. The delimitation principle used is that of equidistance. 
  • Internal waters (to the baseline): 7 674 km2
  • Territorial Sea (12 nm zone): 43 332 km2
  • Agreed boundaries with Italy (Continental Shelf)
  • Pending delimitation of boundaries with the rest of the neighbouring countries
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Relevant practices
Geoportal for the Alboran Sea
Promoting ICZM in Andalusia and the Sea of Alborá
Factsheets of endangered marine species
Report on Marine Protected Areas
Territorial Action Plans for Coastal Protection and Management
TPEA Good Practice Guide
TPEA Pilot Areas Report
TPEA Evaluation Report
Implementing a coastal observatory network in the Mediterranean Sea
Marine Alien Invasive Species Strategy for the Mediterranean MPA network
Visitor use observation and monitoring in Mediterranean MPAs
Sustainable financing of Marine Protected areas in the Mediterranean
Deep Sea Briefs
Scenarios of maritime economy for the Mediterranean
Bologna Charter 2012
Joint Action Plan on Med coasts
Compilation of reviewed EU marine environmental status assessments
Relevant projects
WestMed
SIMWESTMED
SIMNORAT
MarSP
PLASMAR

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Spain

Overview of MSP related maritime uses

  • Current main uses:

    • Tourism
    • Fisheries
    • Shipping
    • Aquaculture
    • Ports
    • Mineral extraction
    • Offshore renewable energy production
  • Challenges:

          - Maritime traffic in Strait of Gibraltar

          - High marine biodiversity in Alboran Sea under pressure from:

- shipping

- land-based water discharges

- tourism

- overfishing

- sand extractions (not Spain)

          - Marine protected areas

          - Dumping

          - Underwater cultural heritage

          - Maritime rescue

          - Scientific research

  • Future uses:

    • Offshore renewable energy production (wind and wave)

Which maritime spatial plans exist?

There are currently no maritime spatial plans in existence in Spain.

MSP legislation

  • Spain adopted the Royal Decree 363/2017 of 8 April establishing a framework for maritime spatial planning, that transposes into Spanish legislation the Directive 2014/89/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 July. 
  • The Inter-Ministerial Commission on Marine Strategies (CIEM) was created in 2012 for coordinating the drafting, application and monitoring of marine environmental planning.
  • Competencies on maritime and coastal affairs are shared between central and regional governments.

National MSP authority & Contact

Ministry of Ecological Transition

Sagrario Arrieta Algarra

Coordinadora de Área
División para la protección del Mar
D.G. Sostenibilidad de la Costa y del Mar
Ministerio de Transicion Ecologica (MITECO)
Pza. San Juan de la Cruz s/n, Desp A-810
28071 Madrid
Tfno: 915975565

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Last Update 14.12.2018

Spain

The European MSP Platform is financed by the European Commission under the EMFF. The European MSP Platform is a result of the 'MSP Assistance Mechanism' implemented by EASME on behalf of DG MARE.

Source URL: https://www.msp-platform.eu/countries/spain