The parallel evolution of ocean and coastal management policies in Portugal

In 2006 the Portuguese government presented two key documents on the country's future ocean and coastal management strategies, following numerous initiatives in these policy areas during the last two decades. This paper summarises the institutional developments in those two areas and discusses the main aspects of the most recent proposals. Attention is brought to the fact that coastal management and ocean policies in Portugal have evolved in relative isolation from one another. The conclusion stresses the need for concrete measures to implement a national coastal and ocean management strategy and the pertinence of the integration of both areas.