Abstract
This report presents the key findings of a study that was carried out in 2018 to explore the range of spatial conflicts experienced in MSP in Europe. The aim was to provide an overview of common types of spatial conflicts and solutions that have been found in various EU Member States, with particular focus on spatial conflict prevention and mitigation. This report looks at the different conflict potential of sectors, conflicting issues and stakeholder contexts, as well as different types of solutions and conditions for applying them.
The study drew on conflicts described in the literature (e.g. past MSP projects) and input from planners and experts describing real-life examples of spatial conflicts. Its focus was on single cross-sectoral conflicts, bearing in mind that the term “conflict” may be contentious and that the respective sectors are not always in spatial conflict with each other. Various conflict cases between offshore wind farming, commercial fisheries, areabased maritime conservation, aquaculture, maritime tourism, maritime transport, defence, and cables and pipelines were identified for detailed consideration, either as likely to play a greater role in the future or to be faced by most countries at some stage of MSP. Detailed results are presented in nine conflict fiches available on www-mspplatform.eu.