The 1st meeting of the Atlantic Maritime Spatial Planning Community of Practice happened on 9th December 2025 online. It marked a significant milestone in advancing regional cooperation on maritime spatial planning. This initiative follows the proposal by the Atlantic Irish Presidency to the Atlantic Strategy Committee for the beginning of Atlantic Region Maritime Spatial Planning, which was approved during the 3rd ASC meeting that took place in Brussels in September. Each Atlantic Member State nominated representatives, joined by the European Commission and supported by the Atlantic Assistance Mechanism, reinforcing a collaborative approach to sustainable ocean governance.
The meeting opened with an introduction from Rory, representing the Irish Presidency, who presented the newly established Atlantic Strategy MSP Community of Practice. Rory outlined the group’s informal and collaborative purpose, designed to create a platform for knowledge exchange among practitioners from Ireland, France, Spain, Portugal, the European Commission and supporting organizations.
Karina Fitzgerald and Robert Fennelly from Ireland’s Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment delivered a comprehensive overview of Ireland’s marine spatial planning framework. Their presentation covered recent legislative reforms, the National Marine Planning Framework, and the implementation of Designated Maritime Area Plans with a particular focus on offshore renewable energy development.
The meeting included an interactive discussion where participants raised detailed questions on Ireland’s approach to spatial allocation for offshore wind, integration of marine protection measures, potential application of DMAPs in other sectors, and transboundary consultation processes. Karina and Rory provided clarifications and shared insights into ongoing and planned actions to address these challenges.
The meeting concluded with a forward-looking discussion on future collaboration. It was proposed by the Irish Presidency and the European Commission to hold quarterly meetings and encourage Member States to present their own MSP systems in upcoming sessions. The next meeting is scheduled for March 2026, reaffirming the commitment to the Ocean Pact and the shared vision of sustainable maritime spatial planning across the Atlantic region.