ABSTRACT
The coastal zone is taken to include the rivers and tidal inlets, the terrestrial coast, inter-tidal shores and the marine zone to the offshore limit of coastal processes, together with the plants and animals living within the zone. A regional approach to the control of regional pollution and the management of marine resources was endorsed and this was initiated as the Regional Seas Programme. Under the various Town and Country Planning Acts, the planning of building development influences the use of the coastal zone and also the ways in which site protection can be implemented. At a regional level, Regional Planning Guidance (RPG) notes are provided. The Science Commission for the European Union for Coastal Conservation is promoting the production of a series of habitat inventories to identify the location and importance of the main coastal habitats. International agreements have concentrated upon policy issues, largely related to pollution and fisheries, which transcend international boundaries.
