Integrated Environmental Assessment for Marine Spatial Planning of Saint Martin’s Island, Bangladesh

Abstract

Abstract
Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) is widely recognized as a practical approach for implementing Ecosystem-Based Management (EBM) in a sustainable manner. It serves as a valuable tool for coordinating planning efforts among various authorities and institutions. In Bangladesh, MSP has become indispensable for achieving economic growth in a sustainable manner, with a concurrent focus on environmental conservation. An environmental analysis covering 707.39 km² and involving 21 sampling points was conducted in two consecutive years (Winter season of 2021, and 2022) to manage the marine ecosystem of Saint Martin's Island (SMI), which has been under persistent threat. Additionally, a participatory survey was employed to engage stakeholders actively. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) identified water salinity, inorganic nutrients, chlorophyll-a (chl-a), transparency, and pH as the key controlling variables for the ecosystem among the fifteen environmental parameters assessed. The Trophic Status Index (TSI) categorized the environment as good (3.42 to 4.75) within the scale ranging from worst to best (0 to 5). Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment Water Quality Index (CCME WQI) analysis was performed for various objectives, revealing that coral ecosystems, aquaculture, and seaweed fell within the ranges of 89.72 to 99.99, 89.23 to 99.99, and 61.26 to 78.54, respectively, on a scale of 0 to 100. These findings underscore the need for environmental conservation measures to maximize the efficacy of MSP. Furthermore, 70% to 80% of stakeholders advocated for establishing an independent authority to manage SMI, with 65% opposing tourism development. Based on these results, a distinct zone has been proposed, accompanied by specific authorities, to guide the future development and conservation efforts.