Marine Spatial Planning in Dominican Republic

Photo Credit: Marine Spatial Planning- The Nature Conservancy

Background

For countries with extensive Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) like the Dominican Republic, adopting a multi-scalar approach to Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) allows for tailored strategies that reflect the diverse characteristics of marine areas. These include geographic features, intensity and variety of uses, presence of vulnerable ecosystems, potential synergies or conflicts between activities, and administrative considerations.

Under this approach, distinct marine spatial plans are developed for different areas, varying in level of detail and time horizons based on their specific needs. For example, large, remote ocean spaces with few overlapping uses may require broad plans with limited detail. Conversely, smaller, high-use coastal zones typically need more precise, site-specific planning to balance economic development, conservation, and community interests. The scale and resolution of planning depend on factors such as the level of human activity, ecological sensitivity, potential conflicts or synergies between maritime activities, and the applicable timeframe. 

In the Dominican Republic, MSP will be of vital importance to support the identification of coastal and marine areas with the potential to expand the sustainable development of the blue economy and is expected to help the country achieve key international agreements such as the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

PROCARIBE+ Intervention:

The multi-scalar MSP approach will be piloted in the Dominican Republic, supporting the development of a coarse-resolution marine spatial plan covering at least 150,000 km² of the country's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). This national initiative will also help assess different strategies for achieving marine conservation goals, including the "30x30" target and the establishment of fishery replenishment zones (FRZ).

In addition to the large-scale plan, at least one detailed higher-resolution MSP pilot will be developed, focusing on a high-priority coastal-marine area essential for the Blue Economy.

Furthermore, this MSP exercise will advance the strategic mapping of priority areas for fishery replenishment zones or Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures (OECM), at the national or pilot levels.  Close coordination with the UNEP Cartagena Convention Secretariat will be essential, given their role in assisting the Dominican Republic with establishing no-take, recovery and/or fishery replenishment zones also under the PROCARIBE+ Project.

Key Activities:

The Dominican Republic’s Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, IOC-UNESCO, and other local and international partners will work together to implement the following activities to be supported under the Procaribe+ Project: 

• Create a National MSP Working Group: Form a multi-institutional group with stakeholders, experts, and civil society members to steer the MSP process. 
• Design the MSP Process: Draft vision and goals, set geographic boundaries, and develop data and stakeholder engagement strategies. 
• Assess Present and Future Conditions: Analyze existing environmental, physical, and social conditions, and estimate future demands from maritime sectors.
• Adopt a Final Draft MSP: Allocate uses, develop management actions, and define implementation actions, including dialogue with sectors, training opportunities, and compliance measures.   

Anticipated Benefits of the Coarse-scale MSP Process:

This multi-scalar approach, where detailed plans are nested within a broader EEZ-level plan, provides a cost-effective, phased solution for the Dominican Republic. It will allow the country to prioritize high-urgency areas and align with national sustainability, adaptation, conservation, and development goals. The pilot coarse-scale MSP will lay the foundation for adaptive and sustainable marine management in the region. As with any MSP process, it is expected to deliver several key benefits, including reducing user conflicts, improving environmental management through better protection and restoration of marine and coastal ecosystems, enhancing resilience to climate change, and fostering sustainable economic growth.

Beneficios previstos del proceso PEM a gran escala:

Este enfoque multiescalar, en el que los planes detallados se anidan dentro de un plan más amplio a nivel de ZEE, ofrece una solución rentable y por fases para la República Dominicana. Permitirá al país priorizar las áreas de alta urgencia y alinearse con los objetivos nacionales de sostenibilidad, adaptación, conservación y desarrollo. El PEM piloto de gran escala sentará las bases para una gestión marina adaptable y sostenible en la región. Como cualquier proceso de ordenación del espacio marítimo, se espera que aporte varios beneficios clave, como la reducción de los conflictos entre usuarios, la mejora de la gestión medioambiental mediante una mejor protección y restauración de los ecosistemas marinos y costeros, el aumento de la resiliencia al cambio climático y el fomento de un crecimiento económico sostenible.