Basic facts on Marine Waters:

Spain has established an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in the Atlantic Ocean
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 France (Continental Shelf and TS), Morroco (CS, TS) and Algeria (CS)

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Contact the sea basin helpdesk

View practical information for Spain

Go to West Mediterranean Sea basin page

Go to Atlantic Ocean page

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

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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

Which maritime spatial plans exist?

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

MSP legislation

Spain has recently 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, establishing a framework for maritime spatial planning.
The Inter-Ministerial Commission on Marine Strategies (CIEM) was created in 2012 and it is a body for coordination between Ministerial Departments of Central State Administraiton. It was established by the Royal Decree 715/2012 of 20 April 2012.
Competencies on maritime and coastal affairs are shared between central and regional governments.
Finally, the Spanish law 41/2010 lays out the general principles for planning the marine environment through the preparation, adoption and implementation of the Marine Strategies.

National MSP authority & Contact

Ministry of Agriculture, Food & Environment

Sagrario Arrieta Algarra
Coordinadora de Área
División para la protección del Mar
D.G. Sostenibilidad de la Costa y del Mar
Ministerio de Agricultura y Pesca, Alimentación y Medio Ambiente
Pza. San Juan de la Cruz s/n, Desp A-810
28071 Madrid
Tfno: 915975565

Spain

Spain

Overview of MSP related maritime uses

Which maritime spatial plans exist?

MSP legislation

National MSP authority & Contact

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Spain