Plan Bothnia

                  Testing a Maritime Spatial Planning process in the Bothnian Sea

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The PLAN BOTHNIA project, co-ordinated by the HELCOM Secretariat, will test Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP) in the Bothnian Sea area as a transboundary case between Sweden and Finland. This is a MSP and EU Integrated Maritime Policy “preparatory action” funded by EU Commission DG MARE, and running 18 months between 2. December 2011 and 1. June 2012. The project had its kick-off partner meeting in Stockholm 16 December 2010 and anticipates to have its first Bothnian Sea MSP meeting in Pori, Finland 7.-8. March 2010.

In this initiative there are seven partners:

• Swedish Board of Fisheries (SWE)
• Finnish Environment Institute (FIN)
• Centre for Maritime Studies (FIN)
• Swedish National Board of Housing, Building and Planning (SWE)
• HELCOM (International)
• VASAB 2010 (International)
• Nordregio (International)

They will provide background material on relevant human activities and natural features as well as provide draft material for plans for the Bothnian Sea region. This material will be considered in 5 dedicated transboundary planning meetings, organised by the project, where Bothnian Sea area regional, and Swedish and Finnish national, authorities will have a transboundary dialogue on Bothnian Sea MSP planning. The project will participate in a regional MSP dialogue through the newly established joint HELCOM-VASAB Baltic Sea MSP group.

The project will keep close contact with the joint HELCOM-VASAB Baltic Sea MSP group established 2010 as well as with i.a. the other EU DG MARE preparatory action MASPNOSE -running parallel in the North Sea.

The lead partner (HELCOM Secretariat) PLAN BOTHNIA Project Manager is Mr. Manuel Frías. The project is also supported by Professional Secretary  Mr. Hermanni Backer, former Project Manager.