Decision support tools for collaborative marine spatial planning: identifying potential sites for tidal energy devices around the Mull of Kintyre, Scotland

Abstract

The expansion of offshore renewable energy production, such as wind, wave and tidal energy, is likely to lead to conflict between different users of the sea. Two types of spatial decision support tools were developed to support stakeholder workshops. A value mapping tool combines regional attributes with local knowledge. A negotiation support tool uses these value maps to support stakeholders in finding acceptable locations for tidal energy devices. Interactive value mapping proved useful to address deficiencies in data and to create credibility for these maps. The negotiation tool helped stakeholders in balancing objectives of the various stakeholders.

Keywords:

• marine spatial planning
• stakeholder workshops
• multicriteria analysis
• value maps
• spatial decision support

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the four anonymous referees for their constructive and detailed feedback. This work was supported by the European Community's Seventh Framework Programme [FP7/2007-2013] project ‘Knowledge-based Sustainable Management for Europe's Seas’ (Knowseas) under grant number 226675; the European Research Development Fund and Highland and Islands Enterprise and the Climate Changes Spatial Planning Research Programme under grant number ME6.