Developing resource management and marine policy for the eastern mediterranean sea

Man's ability to exploit marine resources has improved in recent decades and as expected, efforts of exploitation have intensified. To avoid conflicts and support ecosystem-based principles, determination of pro-active marine policy based on an understanding of current and future uses of the marine environment is essential. This chapter highlights major uses of the marine and near shore environment of Israel. I relate trends in marine uses in this part of the Mediterranean Sea to corresponding past policy developments in coastal and near-shore management. Current policies fail to address new and increasing uses, especially those that are exclusively marine and/or beyond the country's territorial waters. The lack of marine policy in Israel is particularly worrisome when one considers the value of the country's offshore resources and the pressures on its terrestrial resources. Approaches such as marine ecosystem based management, integrated coastal zone management and mechanisms for the pro-active mediation of develop and conservation interests, such as marine spatial planning, are discussed in terms of their potential contribution for the management of evolving and emerging uses of the sea.