1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 Objectives and target audience

Generally, the starting point for national aquaculture planning comes from a need for fish, jobs and/ or taxable revenues from organized aquaculture development. Unplanned aquaculture development has led to negative environmental and social impacts that can outweigh the benefits of growing more fish or other aquatic products.

Some countries with experience in aquaculture have adopted spatial planning1 based on a balance between environmental carrying capacity, social risks and economic opportunities to minimize negative impacts while permitting the industry to contribute to the national economy. The main objective of this publication is to provide practical guidance on spatial planning to a broad range of stakeholders. These stakeholders are the target audience for this publication and include policy-makers, regulators, developers, farm managers, scientists and providers of extension services, whose relevance is defined in Table 1.

This publication is presented in two parts. Part 1 “Guidance” is the main body of the document and describes the processes and steps for spatial planning, including aquaculture zoning, site selection and area management.2
Specific processes and steps are placed in their relevant context to highlight their rationale and how they can be applied within a spatial planning framework.

The guidance (Part 1) can be used as a “standalone” section by policy-makers, planners and stakeholders with reference to Part 2 as appropriate. The guidance is necessarily generic because the approaches will vary significantly depending on location and application, but broadly agreed-upon steps and a common framework for more sustainable approaches are described. Possible activities and spatial planning tools are briefly introduced in Part 1 with a few examples of their application.
Part 2 includes “six annexes” that present key topics:
(i) binding and non-legally binding international instruments, which set the context for sustainable

TABLE 1. Users of this publication

1 Spatial planning refers to the methods used by the public sector to influence the distribution of people and activities in spaces of various scales. Spatial planning takes place at the local, regional, national and international levels and often results in the creation of a spatial plan. Spatial planning also entails a system that is not only spatial, but one that also engages processes and secures outcomes that are sustainable, integrated and inclusive (FAO, 2013).
2 A separate policy brief accompanies this paper. See FAO & World Bank. 2015. Aquaculture zoning, site selection and area management under the ecosystem approach to aquaculture. Policy brief. Rome, FAO. (also available at www.fao.org/documents/card/en/c/4c777b3a-6afc-4475-bfc2- a51646471b0d/)

national aquaculture; (ii) biosecurity, zoning and compartments, infected zones and disease-free zones;
(iii) aquaculture certification and zonal management;
(iv) an overview of key activities and relevant tools that can be used to facilitate and inform the spatial planning process;
(v) case studies from ten countries –Brazil, Chile, China, Indonesia, Mexico, Oman, the Philippines, Turkey, Uganda and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland; and (vi) a workshop report. A summary analysis of the ten case studies is provided to highlight the main gaps and issues in the processes of zoning, site selection and design of aquaculture management areas. The ten case studies are presented in detail to describe the processes and steps carried out by each country.
Part 2 should be read in conjunction with Part 1, as the latter provides the context and rationale for the former.
The most important activities and tools that can be used to facilitate more integrated planning are reviewed.
Where appropriate, the reader is directed to other more comprehensive reviews and other documents.
This publication provides practical advice based on field experience in planning of aquaculture using selected case studies from around the world.
Practitioners are encouraged to select, modify and continuously adapt their approaches and tools to their own specific circumstances. It calls for pragmatic and systematic, but flexible planning and management, combined with a good dose of participation, patience, persistence, adequate funding and good governance to create an enabling environment conducive to sustainable aquaculture development.