Data specification for Maritime Spatial Planning: INSPIRE Data Model

Abstract

The Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP) INSPIRE data model concept has been developing from 2014, applying Infrastructure for spatial information in Europe Directive 2007/2/EC (INSPIRE) data management concepts for marine planning, through the Marine Pilot project (EC Joint Research Centre 2014-2016) and continuing with the PLASMAR project (INTERREG–V 2017-2020). The results and findings delivered have been published in the paper “Maritime spatial planning supported by infrastructure for spatial information in Europe (INSPIRE)” (Abramic et al., 2018). This study analyses how and if the use of INSPIRE data model can support and benefit data management processes, and provide overall support to Maritime Spatial Planning process and implementation of the requirement of the Directive 2014/89/EU. In particular, this research discusses whether the INSPIRE standard for spatial planning (the so-called data model) includes all of the components required for the implementation of the MSP process, or if there is a need for an extension, and/or additional data modelling. Currently, there are difficulties in harmonising products, visions, maps and frameworks of maritime spatial plans delivered by countries sharing the same marine (sub)region. This is mainly due to the fact that maritime plans do not use a common symbology and data structure to describe maritime activities. A solution for this issue is to apply on a marine spatial plans data basis, with INSPIRE standards on data sets, layers and portrayals. The Macaronesian Maritime Spatial Planning (MarSP) project was a perfect opportunity to finalise conceptual data model development and, what is more important, to test developed data model applying it on the real use cases, developed in the Macaronesia MSP process. Initially, the INSPIRE data model for terrestrial planning (Planned Land Use) was tested to see if it could be applied to MSP. Tests pointed out that the terrestrial data model is robust, and can map MSP’s, but it tends to lose detail and specific information on marine uses. To be used for MSP, the Planned Land Use data model needs to be adapted for planning of the maritime activities in the marine space. The INSPIRE Planned Land Use data model was extended to cover the requirements of MSP, adding new specific attributes, enabling new specific code lists - including specific and detail classification on marine uses. Finally, three MSP INSPIRE data model templates are delivered: 1. The INSPIRE complex data model - XML Schema Definition for gml INSPIRE compliant file (Expert level); 2. The INSPIRE flat data model – GeoPackage template – (GIS user); and 3. The INSPIRE- like flat data model – shp file template – (rookie GIS user). The MSP data model was discussed and tested by GIS and MSP experts during 2 nd MarSP technical workshop, held in March 2019. During this two-day workshop participants had a chance to test the data model during the “hands on” session, applying it to a real world case, and discussing and proposing modifications for the final MSP data model product. The draft of the MSP Madeira, published as a first INSPIRE compliant Maritime Spatial Plan was used for this ‘hands on’ component. The data model and related products (GIS templates, SLD, registry…) are available at the Canaries MSP platform1 , in the tools section. Data Specification on Land Use D2.8.III.4_v3.0. was used as a base of the development of this data specification