Project part-financed by the European Union (European Regional Development Fund)

The Interreg IVB North Sea Region Programme


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Analysis of the TIDE Estuarine Conflict Matrices

6a. Management Awareness and Focus

The combined mean RWG management concern scoring resulted in aspects of Ecological Function and Diversity being rated as the most important estuarine function with Recreation and Social use being scored lowest (Figure 25).



To some extent, this weighting may be an artefact of RWG composition (in particular the lower scoring for recreational components), but also reflects the often fundamental management issues between the main estuarine usage foci of flood protection, conservation and navigation/port operation.

These high level issues were transposed within the conflict matrices to a series of user interactions, with highest scoring conflict interactions occurring between conservation protection and flood protection, and navigation and ports activities, although some synergies were also noted, primarily within the topic areas, but on occasion between groups, e.g. managed realignment for flood protection on conservation protection.

However, whilst at a high level, the provision of Ecological Function & Biodiversity may be a core management aim (together with Flood Protection and Assimilation and/or Transport & Accessibility, there are significant differences in the spatial distribution of uses between estuaries and zones.


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