Inspirations From the Study on the Characteristics of the United States Marine Spatial Planning

Coastal zone planning, as a pivotal policy tool for marine management, holds significant importance in realizing sustainable development within the coastal zone. In China's territorial spatial planning system, marine spatial planning is still under exploration and practice. The United States has had an early start in marine spatial planning. Since the 1970s, it has gradually formed a marine spatial planning system consisting of the national marine spatial planning policy framework, regional marine spatial planning, and state marine spatial planning. This paper outlines the development of the marine spatial planning system in the United States, and conducts cases analysis of the Northeast Ocean Plan, the Massachusetts Ocean Management Plan and the Rhode Island Ocean Special Area Management Plan. The analysis delves into the institutional establishment, data support, and planning coordination aspects of these initiatives, offering insights into the characteristics. Furthermore, drawing on the specific context of the establishment of China's coastal zone planning system, the article presents recommendations aimed at advancing the development of the marine spatial planning system.