ABPmer worked as part of a consortium under a Framework Contract for DG Environment to provide advice on the integration of ICM into MSP. ABPmer led and contributed to a number of technical papers under the framework contract.

We contributed to a technical paper on managing across the Land Sea Interface (LSI) clarifying the links with the relevant land-use planning and coastal zone management processes. The paper identified how LSI can interact with other EU legislation and conventions such as the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD), the Water Framework Directive (WFD) and Regional Sea Conventions as well as consideration of climate change.

Subsequently ABPmer led the development and publication of a brochure to provide an understanding of how to address LSI in the development of marine spatial plans.

As part of other elements of the study we also provided advice on integrating the ecosystem-based approach into marine planning and a technical paper on the relevance of the Regional Sea Conventions to ICM/MSP.