Expanding the Use of Ecosystem-Based Management in the Coastal Zone Management Act

This ELI research report focuses on expanding the role of ecosystem-based management (EBM) in the Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA), which arguably is the most influential federal law on marine and coastal resources in the U.S., but with few provisions that reflect EBM. This paper identifies sections of the Act poised to adopt EBM and suggests language that could be added to the CZMA. As reauthorization of the CZMA has raised interest in its structure and objectives, this simple idea could have far-reaching effects on the health of this country’s marine and coastal areas.