From a marine planning point of view, the important point is that these outcomes are not sector dependent. They are concerned with ecosystems, ecological processes and combinations of uses that are in the best long term community interest. Individual sectors such as the fishing industry and the oil and gas industry are increasingly attempting to promote the concepts of multiple and sequential use and have moved towards management regimes which encompass a broader range of environmental and community objectives. These initiatives however, are often project or area driven and tend to arise as a solution to particular local issues rather than as part of an overall national planning framework. Another key focus of this paper is decision-making processes.
Decisions are the point at which principles are converted into actions.
Decision-making processes are therefore fundamentally important in the pursuit of desired outcomes. For the purposes of this issues paper, the following definitions have been adopted. A logical, consistent and interactive process for the allocation and management of marine resources in the pursuit of desired outcomes. Multiple use involves both the spatial and temporal allocation of resources. It therefore involves consideration of both coincident and sequential uses.