Marine Spatial Planning Overview

Please check out our new marine spatial planning website at: www.msp.wa.gov

Marine spatial planning (MSP) is a planning process that enables integrated, forward looking, and consistent decision making on the human uses of the sea. It can improve marine resource management by planning for human uses in locations that reduce conflict, increase certainty, and allow us to balance and maximize the social, economic, and ecological benefits we receive from ocean resources.

In March 2010, the state legislature enacted a marine spatial planning law to address resource use conflicts in Washington waters. In 2011, a report to the legislature and a workshop on human use data provided guidance for the marine spatial planning process. In 2012, the Governor amended the law to focus funding on mapping and ecosystem assessments for Washington’s Pacific Coast.

This year the legislature provided $2.1 million in funds to begin marine spatial planning off Washington’s coast. The funds are appropriated through the Washington Department of Natural Resources marine resources stewardship account with coordination among the State Ocean Caucus, the four Coastal Treaty Tribes, four coastal Marine Resource Committees and the newly formed stakeholder body, the Washington Coast Marine Advisory Council.

Recent News

Outreach Meetings

Marine Spatial Planning outreach meetings are being hosted by the coastal Marine Resource Committees. Current dates and locations are:

April 9th – South Bend, 6:00 - 7:30 pm
Willapa Harbor Community Center
916 West First Street, South Bend, WA

April 10th – Ilwaco, 6:00 -7:30 pm
Ilwaco Community Building
158 First Avenue North, Ilwaco, WA

April 16th – Aberdeen, 5:30 -7:30 pm
Rotary Log Pavilion
1401 Sargent Blvd, Aberdeen, WA

April 18th – Forks, 5:30 - 7:30 pm
Olympic Natural Resource Center
1455 S. Forks Avenue, Forks, WA

April 22nd – Rosburg, 5:00 - 7:00 pm
Johnson Park
4188 W SR4, Rosburg, WA

For more information, contact Casey Dennehy, Surfrider Foundation, cdennehy@surfrider.org or 360.556.6509.

DNR Legislative Report

In September 2012, the Department of Natural Resources submitted a report to the state legislature on the current status of marine spatial planning and provided recommendations for future funding.