Marine Spatial Planning (PEM) in the Colombian North Pacific

Abstract

The Colombian North Pacific has been a pilot scenario for Marine Spatial Planning (PEM). Over 30 years, it consolidated an inclusive governance model that has allowed the institutional mission to include an ethnic vision of territorial development. In this regard, the declaration of protected areas and complementary conservation strategies have been the pillars that seek to correct conflicts of competition for fishery resources in the industrial and artisanal sectors, the deterioration and over-exploitation of sensitive coastal marine ecosystems, and activities incompatible with a local vocation such as ecotourism. In this complexity, the intersectoral agreements were a de facto result and represented the trust of the actors in a legitimate ordering process and the commitment to guarantee the responsible management of natural resources and the sustainable development of the region.