The Stakeholder approach - a first for North East Kent

The Stakeholder approach was unique in that it was the first time in this country that many different coastal users, were brought together at a series of consensus building workshops to help produce a coastal management scheme.

These Stakeholders identified the problems which their own activities may cause to wildlife and worked together to develop a way forward.

They agreed a number of agreed key actions, including action required to tackle obvious gaps in management and information. These included the development of the Thanet Coast Project and a series of voluntary codes for various coastal activities.

The management and advisory set up.

Management Group: oversees the management of the NE Kent European marine sites (meets 2/yr)

Advisory Group: identifies and encourages research to help with future management decisions (meets 2-4/yr)

Stakeholders: representatives of coastal users and activities (meets 2/year)

Thanet Coast Project: ‘no-for-profit’ initiative (2 staff and volunteers) that reports to the Management Group and stakeholders, with Thanet Council as the employing authority.