Integrated Ocean Planning: Marine Protected Areas, Multi-Use & Business Pathways

Syllabus

• Week 1

  Exploring human activity at sea

  • Getting started

    This activity introduces you to the course structure, team, and navigation. Explore key articles, introduce yourself to fellow learners, and learn how to engage with the content effectively for a smoother learning experience.

  • Ocean uses - Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP)

    This session examines various approaches to maritime spatial planning (MSP), including how different strategies allocate marine space for a range of activities such as energy production, conservation, shipping, and fisheries.

  • Introduction to Ocean Multi-use

    This session explains the concept of ocean multi-use and the types of existing use combinations, focusing on entrepreneurial elements.

  • Introduction to Marine Protected Areas (MPAs)

    This session will delve into Marine Protected Area (MPA) creation and management by explaining the existing MPA processes and showcasing their benefits, as well as challenges in their successful conservation and management.

• Week 2

  Multi-Use and the Business Model

  • Ocean Multi-Use pilots as potential business cases

    This section provides guidance on developing business plans for MU activities, considering not only economic activities (e.g., offshore wind and aquaculture) but also those that may not result in direct economic benefits.

  • Multi-use from a business perspective

    In this activity, we explore business planning from a multi-use perspective, covering topics such as business models, funding, and investment strategies.

  • The diverse field of vocational pathways in Ocean Multi-use

    This session showcases vocational profiles in ocean multi-use and helps the students identify their possible role within an ocean multi-use project.

• Week 3

  MPAs as Governance Tools: Conservation outcomes and socio-economic impacts

  • MPAs in Action: From global goals to regional implementation

    This session explores global and European perspectives of MPAs by introducing committed conservation targets and guidelines, discussing the current status of MPAs coverage worldwide and explaining how we can make MPAs count.

  • Europe’s marine conservation journey: From local laws to global impact

    This section provides an overview of how the EU is working to protect marine biodiversity through laws, protected area networks like Natura 2000, and ambitious 2030 targets.

  • Blue Corridors and Marine Conservation Areas

    This section introduces Ecological (Blue) Corridors and Blue Parks, key pathways and protected areas vital for linking marine habitats, enabling the migration of marine species, and maintaining healthy oceans.

  • Inside Marine Protection: Strategies, tools and obstacles

    This session provides hands-on guidance on how to improve MPA management by introducing diverse tools that can support the effective implementation of MPAs and examining challenges MPAs commonly face.

  • MPAs and society: Economic and social dimensions

    This session covers the socio-economic impacts of MPAs and their sustainability, showing how MSP can support them through case studies featuring sustainable use, stakeholder cooperation, and citizen engagement.

• Week 4

  Integrating Ecosystem Services and Business Strategies for MPAs

  • Ecosystem Services in marine environments

    This section explores the concept of ecosystem services, the benefits people receive from healthy natural system and their central role in marine conservation and management. And how MPAs and MSPs help support these services.

  • Nature-inclusive design of blue economy sectors

    In this session, we look at the critical relationship between the Blue Economy and the health of marine ecosystems – and how different sectors must balance economic growth with environmental responsibility.

  • The business of Marine Protected Area management

    This session explores the MPAs from an entrepreneurial point of view, including financial management and planning.

  • Leading for Conservation: What it means to be an Marine Protected Area manager

    This session outlines the vocational profile of MPA managers, including the expected knowledge, competencies, and essential skills.

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