The project is co-funded by the

European Union, Instrument

for Pre-Accession Assistance

WP3 / Action 3.1 “Facilitating the implementation of ICZM Protocol”

Analysis of ICZM practice in the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region

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Table of Content INTRODUCTION 1. Geographical and environmental framework of the Friuli Venezia Giulia marine-coastal system 2. Main uses and pressures of the Friuli Venezia Giulia marine-coastal system (urbanization, tourism, industries and others) SECTION I: SECTORAL POLICIES IN EFFECT IN COASTAL ZONES 1. Preserving Biodiversity 1.1 General principles

1.1.1 Preserving biodiversity

1.1.2 Preserving cultural heritage

1.1.3 Preserving landscapes

1.2 Preserving vulnerable ecosystem

1.2.1 Ecosystems covered by the Protocol

1.2.2 Protection “outside specially protected areas”

1.3 Knowledge of ecosystems

1.4 Land management

2. Managing coastal activities 2.1 Reconciling coastal activities and preservation of ecosystems 2.1.1 General principles applicable to all coastal activities 2.1.2 Specific tools to be implemented 2.2 Regulating specific activities 3. Addressing risks 3.1 Integrating the “risk” element in coastal policies 3.2 Tools for this integration 3.3 Seat back zone

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SECTION II: GOVERNANCE METHODS FOR COASTAL ZONE 1. Consolidating integration mechanisms 1.1 Spatial integration

1.2 Intersectoral integration

1.3 Institutional integration and governance structures

1.4 Science-management integration

1.5 International integration

2. Information, participation and the right to legal recourse 2.1 Information 2.1.1 Beneficiaries of information 2.1.2 Scope of information 2.2 Participation 2.2.1 Principle of participation 2.2.2 Beneficiaries of participation 2.2.3 Scope of participation 2.3 The right of legal recourse SECTION III: STRATEGIC PLANNING OF COASTAL ZONES 1. National ICZM strategy 2. Coastal plans and programmes as tools for implementing national strategies SECTION IV: REGIONAL COOPERATION 1. Principle of cooperation 2. Fields of regional cooperation CONCLUSIONS 1. Summary of the findings from legal compliance analysis and the current practice 2. Proposal of solutions for the Protocol implementation

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INTRODUCTION 1. Geographical and environmental framework of the Friuli Venezia Giulia marine-coastal system The Friuli Venezia Giulia region is located in the northeastern part of Italy facing the Gulf of Trieste in the Northern Adriatic Sea. Its marine-coastal zone develops between the river mouth of the Tagliamento river and Punta Sottile promontory, representing respectively the western border with the region of Veneto and the eastern border with Slovenia. The coastline shows an arched shape that stretches for about 100 km and is broadly characterized by two main morphologies: a low and sandy shoreline between the river mouths of the Tagliamento and Timavo rivers and a high and rocky shoreline from the Timavo river up to the Slovenian border. The sandy western shoreline features the combination of a large amount of debris brought by the Tagliamento and Isonzo deltas together with pelitic sediments from the sea; these factors have allowed the development of pleasant beaches, including those of Lignano and Grado (two main regional tourist areas) and a sandy ridge enclosing the lagoon of Marano and Grado. The lagoon extends for 32 km in length and about 5 km in width, covering approximately an area of 160 km2. It communicates with the sea through six lagoon mouths, which are (from West to East): Lignano, S. Andrea, Porto Buso, Morgo, Grado and Primero.

Fig. 1 The Friuli Venezia Giulia Region with its coastal zone (Source: Google Earth).

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Moving towards east, a low alluvial shoreline created by the Isonzo delta, continues to persist until the mouth of Timavo river which represents the transitional zone to a high and rocky coastline. From here on, the shoreline is characterized by karstic carbonate which reaches the sea to form coastal cliff; the coast shows very few beaches, mainly composed by deposits of high particle size and poor grain round, due to low energy of waves. Moreover, occasional flysh outcrops, overwritten by karstic carbonate platform, occur as revealed in the area of Trieste and towards Punta Sottile. With respect to the basin seabed, it is worth mentioning the presence of three elevations, called “trezze” that can be found in the Central-Western portion of the basin. The trezze are bedrock elevations composed by sedimentary accumulations, probably an abandoned branch of a river delta flooded by rapid sea level rise during the late ice age and cemented through diagenetic processes. Trezza Grande is the biggest and extends for 154 km2 between Lignano and Grado; the other two, Banco Mula of Muggia and Trezza Piccola, are located south of the Isonzo mouth and are much smaller than Trezza Grande.

Fig. 2 Geographical position of theTrezze (Source: ARPA FVG).

Salinity, temperature and vertical stability of the water column, are subject to seasonal variations due to the river intakes as well as to climatic and physiographic features of the basin (highly enclosed by land and with semi-continental climate). During winter time the water column reaches the highest values of salinity, the lowest temperature and a strong vertical uniformity. Later, in spring, surface salinity drops for an increase in river contributions and begins to form a pycnoclin reaching 20 m depth at its summer maximum. On the one hand, the strong temperature gradient between winter and summer makes water masses present high thermal stratification in spring and summer, when ipohaline cold waters coming from rivers remain confined in the surface layer spreading horizontally in the basin. On the other hand, during autumn and winter, thermohaline stratification breaks down and water masses become homogeneous thanks both to surface water cooling and convective movements produced by the mechanical action of wind and wave power. In late summer, waters close to the seabed can be affected by phenomena of hypoxia or anoxia, mainly due to the presence of the piycnoclin. In fact this structure restricts mixing between surface and bottom layers. This situation persists until the breaking of stratification due to convective movements allowing oxygen exchange through the water column, or until interactions with more oxygenated bottom currents come to supply the

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deepest layer. Typically, stratification is interrupted by events of Bora that together with shallow water becomes the most efficient mechanism of water replacement. During the summer the bora wind can mix the entire water column, while in winter it generates a strong surface current moving outside the gulf and an opposite deep flow of Adriatic waters entering the basin from Punta Salvatore. The general baroclinic circulation of the North Adriatic sea is dominated by a southern –oriented current, which is observable at the mouth of river Po and makes water move with a counter-clockwise circulation, especially between summer and autumn (with significant seasonal variations). Deep water movement is slow and follows a counter-clockwise circulation too. On the contrary, surface water (the upper 5 m of the column) moves slightly faster and in a clockwise direction when driven by land breezes and occasionally from Sirocco wind, but it undergoes a reverse rotation in presence of sea breezes and Bora.

2. Main uses and pressures of the Friuli Venezia Giulia marine-coastal system The municipalities placed along the Friuli Venezia Giulia coastal zone are 14, counting over than 300 thousands inhabitants. Population density has an average value of 522 inh/km2, but its distribution differs a lot depending on the areas, as Tab. 1 shows (the maximum density is registered in Trieste with a value of 2371 and the minimum in Marano with a value of 22). Indeed, the city of Trieste is the most important urbanized coastal area together with Monfalcone. Both these cities develop around their important ports. Excluding Trieste, the average density value falls to 179 inh/km2.

Coastal Municipalities FVG Inh. Area (km2) Dens. (inh./ km2)

Province of Udine

Latisana 13637 37,8 361

Lignano 6427 15,71 408

Precenicco 1483 26,88 55

Marano Lagunare 1965 90,26 22

Carlino 2806 30,36 92

S. Giorgio di Nogaro 7755 25,49 304

Terzo d'Aquileia 2900 28,23 103

Aquileia 3493 36,84 95

Province of Gorizia

Grado 8408 111,33 76

Staranzano 7195 19,66 366

Monfalcone 26959 19,73 1367

Province of Trieste

Duino-Aurisina 8586 45,31 189

Trieste 201814 85,11 2371

Muggia 13070 13,85 944

Total 306498 586,56 522 (mean) Tab. 1 Demographic data of the coastal municipalities (Source: ISTAT 2012).

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Coastal areas are quite densely urbanized and the discharging of wastewaters into the sea may create pressure on the regional marine coastal system. In particular, the municipalities of Lignano and Grado which represent the two main touristic centers of the region, grow their own population in an exponential way during the summer (Lignano up to 153 thousands inh., Grado up to 61 thousands inh., ISTAT 2005). It has to be considered that these two centers generate a pressure on the system as high as a big city would create during a period of 3-4 months per year. Connected with the issue of a massive presence of tourists, other well known problems arise concerning the disposal of the maximum inner flow to treatment systems, with the consequent risk of inadequately treated wastewaters discharge and enrichment of sea waters with nutrients and organic matter. Both municipalities dredge wastewaters by submarine pipelines which open up to 7 km off from the coast of Lignano and 4.5 km off the coast of Grado-Primero to facilitate their dispersion and dilution. The Bassa Friulana area (with its neighbouring municipalities of the lagoon of Marano and Grado) comprises numerous citizens’ settlements and highly industrial areas, among all the industrial complex of Aussa-Corno connected to Porto Nogaro. Urban and industrial wastewaters are handled by the purification and treatment system of San Giorgio di Nogaro, which, through a long submarine pipeline with diffusers, bypasses the lagoon and ends in open sea about 7 km off from Porto Buso. Although this pipeline allows the protection of the lagoon, waterways that flow here drain most of Bassa Friulana’s soils, subject to intensive agriculture and to the pollution that may derive from the Lagoon of Marano and Grado. This process increases chemical input, contributing to contamination and eutrophication phenomena that should be added to those generated by aquaculture, highly developed in the lagoon. The combination between the reduction of river flows for agricultural irrigation and natural phenomena of subsidence and sea level rise, produces the progressive erosion of landmass in the lagoon (bumps, sandbanks, lagoon islands), as well as the increase of salinization processes. Taking into consideration the industrial-port zone of Trieste, it may create significant problems for both merchant vessel traffic and intake of industrial discharges. In fact, the port of Trieste is among the largest and most active in the Mediterranean Sea, strategically located as a port of entry from the East to Central Europe. The intense shipping activities are characterized by large merchant ships, oil tankers and in recent times, also by increased passenger traffic, consisting of cruise ships that stop in the port for tourism. Industrial discharges are managed, along with other discharges, by the Servola treatment plant which recently remained the only one active after the closure of the Barcola treatment plant. Once treated, wastewaters are transported offshore by a submarine pipeline.

Fig. 3 Map of the submarine pipelines and mercury concentration in sediments (Source: ARPA FVG).

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Monfalcone is the second port in the region and hosts one of the world’s most relevant shipbuilding realities producing large cruise ships. The city’s wastewaters, together with those generated by local industries, are discharged into the sea through a submarine pipeline 7 km long, insisting on an area already polluted because of the amount of mercury transported by the Isonzo river and accumulated in sediments.

Fig. 4 Map of the fishing areas along the regional coast (Source: ARPA FVG).

Along the coast and offshore, fishing and aquaculture are very developed; indeed, fishing pressure in Friuli Venezia Giulia equals to one-fifth of the whole upper Adriatic coast activity. The regional fisheries sector occupies about 900 employees who perform their activity aboard 459 boats concentrated for the most part in Trieste, Monfalcone, Grado and Marano Lagunare. In the marinas of Grado and Marano, lagoon aquaculture is intensively practiced. Shellfish farming is also very common along the coast that goes from Sistiana to Miramare and from Punta Olmi to the Slovenian border.

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Fig. 5 Classification of the areas for shellfish farming activity - forbidden areas are in red (Source: ARPA FVG).

Further, the Friuli Venezia Giulia region occupies the sixth place in the national ranking for number of berths, located in marinas, docks and mooring points, and the first among Italian regions bordering the Adriatic Sea. The number of berths provides both an indication of the presence of boats in coastal municipalities and about the level of exploitation of coastal areas by nautical tourism. In the region there are 21 marinas, 35 docks and other mooring areas, counting an overall number of 10,000 berths.

SECTION I: SECTORAL POLICIES IN EFFECT IN COASTAL ZONES

1. Preserving biodiversity 1.1 General principles

1.1.1 Preserving biodiversity

The biodiversity of the Friuli Venezia Giulia marine-coastal zone is currently preserved and safeguarded through a regional network of protection, established by Regional Law No. 42/96, No. 13/98 and No. 9/2005, in

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adherence to the national legislation N.L. No. 394/1991 “Fundamental principles of institution and management of natural protected areas”. These regulations identified 11 protected areas, 6 of them located in the marine-coastal zone:

• Marina Miramare (No. 16 in Fig. 6);

• Valle Canal Novo (No. 5 in Fig. 6);

• Foci dello Stella (No. 6 in Fig. 6);

• Foci dell’Isonzo (No. 8 in Fig. 6);

• Valle Cavana (No. 7 in Fig. 6);

• Falesie di Duino (No. 10 in Fig. 6).

Fig. 6 Map of the regional Network of protection (Source: FVG Region).

The Friuli Venezia Giulia Region has ratified the establishment of the European ecological network, named Nature 2000, by regional legislation between 2006 and 2008. Three laws have been launched:

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• R.L. No. 17 of August 25, 2006;

• R.L. No 14 of June 14, 2007;

• R.L. No. 7 of July 21, 2008.

In this way, Friuli Venezia Giulia has transposed the directives 92/43 EEC and 79/409 EEC, and also the DPR No. 357/97 (amended and supplemented by the Presidential Decree No. 120/2003) regarding national legislation. At present, the Nature 2000 network of Friuli Venezia Giulia region has 56 SCI and 8 ZCS for a total number of 60 different sites that cover approximately 19% of the regional territory. Only six of these areas are in the marine-coastal zone.

Code Name Type Area (ha) Mean heigh (m) Biogeographical region

IT3320037 Laguna di Marano e Grado SCI/ZCS 16363 0 Continental

IT3320038 Pineta di Lignano SCI 118 2 Continental

IT3330005 Foce dell'Isonzo - Isola della Cona SCI/ZCS 2668 0 Continental

IT3330006 Valle Cavanata e Banco Mula di Muggia SCI/ZCS 860 0 Continental

IT3330007 Cavanata di Monfalcone SCI 133 1 Continental

IT3340007 Area Marina di Miramare SCI 124 / Continental

IT3330009 Trezze di San Pietro e Bardelli SCI 1971 -10 Continental Tab. 2 SCI and ZCS insisting on the coastal-marine zone of the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region.

1.1.2 Preserving cultural heritage

The archaeological and historical heritage of the regional coastal zone are under the authority of the Regional Directorate for Cultural and Landscape heritage of Friuli Venezia Giulia, which constitutes a territorial articulation of the Ministry of National Heritage and Culture. The functions performed by the Regional Directorate are dictated by art. No. 17 of P.D. No. 233/07. The Directorate carries out tasks of protection and enhancement of cultural heritage along with the peripheral structures of the Ministry, in coordination with region, local authorities and other institutions of the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region. The archeological site of Aquileia, declared UNESCO World Heritage site, is the second roman archeological site of Northern Italy after the one in Ravenna, and it is among the areas managed by the Regional Directorate. In particular, these areas brought to light by excavations, comprising the Foro and the River harbour, are directly managed by the Archeological Heritage Office of FVG, a peripheral organ of the Regional Directorate. 1.1.3 Preserving landscapes

The Friuli Venezia Giulia region currently does not have a specific plan concerning neither the management of environment and landscape, nor of coastal areas. In recent years, efforts have been made concerning the draft of new instruments for territorial management aiming to introduce, in development processes of the region, planning modes based on sustainable development and defense of natural heritage. Starting from this

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principle, the Regional Law No. 22 of December 3, 2009, provides the planning reform and the creation of a Territorial Government Plan (PGT). The PGT was formally launched with regional resolution No. 113 of the Friuli Venezia Giulia Council of February 1, 2012. Also the process of Strategic Environmental Assessment (VAS) started, applied on PGT. The plan has been recently adopted by Regional President Decree No. 267 of October 31, 2012 and then published on the Official Regional Gazette (BUR) No. 45 of November 7, 2012. On January 8, 2013 the period during which documents were deposited to the competent authority for any comments expired. It is now expected that, along with VAS itself, PGT will be operationalized on regional territory.

Fig. 7The Foro of the archeological site of Aquileia (Source: http://zloris.blogspot.it/2011/10/arte-romana-in-friuli.html).

Parallel with the drafting of PGT and in order to give effect to the Code of Cultural Heritage and Landscape (D.Lgs. No. 42 of January 22, 2004), the Regional Landscape Plan (PPR), is in the process of being drafted; it represents a more specific planning tool aiming both at land management and preservation, and the integrated protection and enhancement of landscape territorial transformation processes as a significant lever for the competitiveness of regional economy. Local institutions have chosen to develop the plan gradually, pushing strongly on participation and articulating the process on two main levels, in turn divided into several phases. Once a phase ends, it gets operational autonomy and legal effect so that the institutions can apply, wherever possible, these tools as if PPR was already in force. The first of these two levels featured the identification of landscape areas on a general and

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uniform scale, while the second level aims at recognizing landscape heritages that will be used as strengths for the region’s development and life quality. At present time the PPR has been drafted only concerning the regional natural reserve of “Foce dell’Isonzo” and the regional natural reserve of “Falesia di Duino”, approved respectively by P.D. No. 77 of March 11, 2008, and P.D. No. 11 of April 17, 2009. 1.2 Preserving vulnerable ecosystem

1.2.1 Ecosystems covered by the Protocol

Through the institution of Sites of Community Importance (SCI), Special Areas of Conservation (ZCS) and Natural Reserve network, Friuli Venezia Giulia provides preservation of vulnerable ecosystems including marine-coastal areas. Specifically for what concerns Nature 2000 network (SIC and ZCS), DPR No. 357/97 states that the conduct of network sites has to be done by means of Management Plans (PG) when other management plans cannot be integrated. The PG is a tool for environmental planning, to whose contents municipal urban planning tools have to conform to. The drafting of the plan directly involves provincial administrations, municipalities and local communities (all stakeholders: associations, committees, citizens, etc.). Management plans are intended to ensure protection of species and natural habitats, choosing, within each protected area, the right synergy among development, maintenance of social-economic activities and the needs of conservation, recovery and enhancement of biodiversity.

Fig. 8 A picture of the Lagoon of Marano and Grado (Source: ARPA FVG).

To facilitate the preparation of PGs, with the resolution of regional council No. 922 May 20, 2011, the Friuli Venezia Giulia region deliberated “Methodological address for achievement of management tools about Nature 2000 sites, by means of art. No. 10 comma No. 12 of R.L. 7/2008” and made available a document

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with guidelines entitled “Addressing manual for management of protected areas of FVG”. This document was developed by the Regional Environmental Areas System project (S.A.R.A.) started in 2006 with the purpose of providing harmonized tools for conservation and socio-economic management of natural protected areas forming the regional system. Plans are still under preparation: three of them have already been adopted (“Risorgive dello Stella”, “Palude Selvote”, “Paludi di Gonars”) while a fourth one is ready (“Laguna di Marano e Grado”, drafted in 2008) and its final version is currently undergoing technical and administrative checks.

Fig. 9 Sunset on the Marano and Grado Lagoon (Source: ARPA FVG).

Regarding sites with marine-coastal features such as the “Pineta di Lignano”, “Foci dell’Isonzo” and “Isola della Cona”, as well as “Cavana di Monfalcone”, specific site measures have been drawn up. The sites of “Trezze di San Pietro e Bardelli” and “Area Marina di Miramare” are not yet involved in studies for specific site measurements, while the site of Miramare is already covered by a higher level of network protection because of its condition of National Marine Reserve. In addition to the PGs, the Resolution of Regional Council No. 2600/2002, according to P.D. No. 357/1997, provides another tool of protection, requiring that all project and plans affecting Nature 2000 areas must undergo an Evaluation of Incidence (V.I.). 1.2.2 Protection “outside specially protected areas”

Where there are no special provisions due to the presence of protected areas, marine-coastal areas are still subject to regional regulations concerning concessions made by the Public Domain and to regional regulations about fisheries and development of ports. These regulations are listed below:

• R.L. No. 22 of August 14, 1987, “Laws on ports and navigable waterways in FVG”;

• R.L. No. 57 of December 9, 1991, “Regional works concerning the promotion of FVG transport

system”.

• R.L. No. 31 of December 16, 2005 “Provisions on fishing and aquaculture”;

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• R.L. No. 22 of November 13, 2006 “Rules concerning maritime domain with tourist-recreational

purposes”;

• P.D. No. 289 of September 27, 2006 “Regulation to grant concessions in maritime Domain areas to

farm mussels in the lagoon of Marano and Grado”;

• P.D. No. 302 of September 20, 2007 “Regulation to define principles and procedure by which

estimate the amount of investments made by licensees on maritime Domain areas with tourist-

recreational purposes”;

• P.D. No. 320 of October 9, 2007 “Approval of the use plan of maritime Domain with tourist-

recreational purposes”;

• P.D. No. 159 of June 19, 2009 “Variant No. 1 of the use plan of the maritime Domain with tourist-

recreational purposes”;

Regarding the specific aspect of bathing waters, Friuli Venezia Giulia is applying L.D. No. 116/2008 (transposition of Directive 2006/7/EC concerning the management of bathing water quality). Further, with Ministerial Decree No. 34 of February, 2003, the Ministry of Environment has identified two polluted sites of national interest inside the Friuli Venezia Giulia region:

• Polluted site of national interest,“Trieste”

• Polluted site of national interest, “Laguna di Grado e Marano”.

Finally, any plan or program, as well as any projects which may have significant negative impacts on the environmental or cultural heritage, is subject to the Strategic Environmental Assessment (plans and programs) and to the Environmental Impact Assessment (public and private projects). The Regional Law references are R.L. No. 11 of May 6, 2005 for Strategic Environmental Assessment (VAS) and R.L. No. 43 of September 7, 1990 for Environmental Impact Assessment (VIA). 1.3 Knowledge of ecosystems

The Friuli Venezia Giulia marine-coastal ecosystems are investigated by different technical and scientific local institutions. Among them, the most important are the Universities of Trieste and Udine, the Regional Agency for the Environmental Protection (ARPA FVG), the National Institute of Oceanography and Experimental Geophysics of Trieste (OGS), the C.N.R. Institute of Trieste (UOS) and the Friuli Venezia Giulia Civil Protection. All the above mentioned institutions are in possession of data and information on specific topics related to the marine-coastal environment. 1.4 Land management

The actual absence of a coastal management and landscape plan makes it necessary to rely on plans for a general management of the region or sector-specific ones to locate instructions on how the regional territory should be disciplined. Currently, the datum plane is an organic system of general provisions called Regional

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General Development Plan (PURG). It is in force since 1978 and it based on the principle of urbanism "waterfall" (subordinate degree plans have to comply with its directives). Regarding the Public Domain, it is important to remember the Plan for the use of Maritime Domain (PUD) that concerns the entire coastal zone except the lagoon of Marano and Grado. The PUD gives to municipalities competences concerning tourist-leisure activities and structures (erosion defense works too) insisting on domain goods. It also provides provisions for the protection of landscape and sustainable development, in compliance with the rules given by the PRT. There are other two territorial management plans affecting the integrated coastal zone management. The first one is the Regional Operational Plan (POR), still in implementation phase. Within it the region has established regional development areas that will benefit from contributions of the European structural funds during the period 2007-2013. The POR was adopted by the European Commission on November 20, 2007.

Fig. 10 Map of the sampling points for sediment monitoring activities (Source: ARPA FVG).

The second plan is the Regional Plan of Water Protection (PRTA), whose adoption was expected by means of art. No. 13 of L.R. 16/2008 “Final adoption of the draft of Regional Plan of water protection”. The PRTA was developed by Friuli Venezia Giulia to fulfill Art. 121 of D. Lgs. No. 152/2006 starting from the “Overall assessment of priority problems for water management in the region FVG” (Resolution of Regional Council No.1309 June 11, 2009). It was adopted with the Resolution of Regional Council No. 2000 of November 15, 2012. The PRTA includes the planning of surface water monitoring (as expected from the Legislative Decree. 152/2006) and bathing waters, by the Regional Agency for Environmental Protection (ARPA FVG).

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Fig. 11 Map of the sampling points for bathing waters monitoring (Source: ARPA FVG).

Fig. 12 Map of the sampling points for coastal marine waters monitoring (Source: ARPA FVG).

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2. Managing coastal activities 2.1 Reconciling coastal activities and preservation of ecosystems 2.1.1 Generic principles applicable to all coastal activities Anthropic activities carried out in the coastal area of Friuli Venezia Giulia are primarily regulated by Regional Laws, as seen in the previous sections and paragraphs, and by plans and programmes for land management, too. Unfortunately, these rules are scattered and not clearly coordinated, making it difficult to develop a complex plan such as the management of coastal area that requires a comprehensive, exhaustive and well correlated system of rules. Despite the PGT, which is about to enter in force, is based on the principle of sustainable development on regional territory, at the moment there is no initiative to produce a regional coast plan that could hold all the provisions regarding coastal administration. However, Friuli Venezia Giulia has already experienced some efforts about coastal zone management with integrated method, participating in European projects such as ADRIBLU, ECOGOVERNANCE and TRECORALA. Since these projects have been proposed to stimulate a cross-border process of interdisciplinary management of marine-coastal areas and sustainable socio-economic development of the upper Adriatic, their experiences and knowledge may be useful to achieve the goal of a future ICZM system. It is worthy of note that environmental data required for the implementation of an ICZM, have already been largely collected and stored in databases by several regional departments and offices that manage coastal zones. Information on specific topics is, however, scattered and difficult to be coordinated among all sectors. In any case, ARPA FVG has collected the most of the environmental data and is therefore connected to all these institutions. 2.1.2 Specific tools to be implemented At the moment, the procedures of environmental impact assessment (VIA) and strategic environmental assessment (VAS), both regulated by Regional Laws, are the common tools to evaluate coastal projects. In fact, environmental impact studies on marine-coastal projects must contain, like all other projects, socio-economic and environmental data (climatic, ecological, biological, hydrological, geological, etc.) and the ways in which these features relate to the specific environment where projects are located. VAS is applied to each plan (municipal or regional) that could be linked to coastal zone, making it a good tool to evaluate impact and pressure related to uses and give provisions about coastal zone management. A Regional Coastal Plan would definitely make the management of marine coastal areas easier, but there are no regional plans regarding it for now. Anyway, at local level coastal municipalities have incorporated the concept of sustainable management of land and coast into their statutes and regulations, adopting Agenda 21 or other good practices (e.g.: the “Environmental Decalogue” adopted by the city of Monfalcone), in the effort to better manage their marine-coastal areas. 2.2 Regulating specific activities Specific authorizations regulate most of the activities or projects carried out in the marine-coastal zone of Friuli Venezia Giulia.

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The projects affecting the marine-coastal zone, which must be subjected to environmental impact assessment according with the Regional Law, are (from Annex III of decree 152/2006):

• commercial and tourist ports;

• wastewaters and waste treatment plant;

• industrial plants;

• recovery of land from seabed;

• aquaculture;

• coastal works;

• campsites and resorts.

Depending on type and size, this kind of projects are evaluated by municipal, provincial and regional committees and, if particularly important, directly by the national committee. With P.D. No. 469 of January 15, 1987 and D. Lgs. No. 111 of April 1, 2004, Friuli Venezia Giulia exercises all administrative functions related to concessions of public domain regarding touristic activities, dredging, coastal nourishment, ports and shipbuilding. In the case of tourist activities and nourishments, the region also develops the Plan for the Use of Maritime Domain (PUD), which delegates general administration to coastal municipalities as defined in R.L. No. 22 of November 13, 2006. Fishing and aquaculture are controlled by Regional Law No. 31 of December 16, 2005, which led in 2011 to a regulation, governing terms and provisions of concessions (published on B.U.R. No. 7 of February 16, 2011). Monitoring activities are responsibility of the Region that makes use of the Environmental Protection Agency (ARPA FVG) to carry out sampling of surface waters. Further, the Regional Civil Protection, with the support of the Institute of Geophysics of Trieste (OGS), placed some buoys offshore, nearby the Tagliamento and Isonzo river mouths and on lagoon mouths, to collect meteo-marine data (MAMBO monitoring project). Everything related to observation of laws about the use of marine-coastal zones, is entrusted to the Coast Guard that is responsible for safety of navigation, protection of the marine environment and control of fishing activities and aquaculture, often together with ARPA.

3. Addressing risk 3.1 Integrating the “risk” element in coastal policies The concept of risk is not yet reflected in the laws or planning of regional territory. 3.2 Tools for this integration The concept of risk is not yet reflected in the laws or planning of regional territory. 3.3 Setback zone A definition of setback zone is still missing in Friuli Venezia Giulia and the only rules focusing on shoreline can be found in the Navigation Code and inside the so called “Legge Galasso” the National Law No. 431 of August

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8, 1985. These two laws provide a partially cover of the concept of setback zone until its establishment as defined in the ICZM protocol. Art. 28 of the Navigation Code marks the line dividing domain property from public administration or private use. This line is called “dividente demaniale” and is identified as the line of maximum run up of sea during storm events. In Friuli Venezia Giulia the “dividente demaniale” is also defined within the PUD, developed by the Region, and thus integrated inside municipal planning concerning coastal areas. The Galasso Law recognizes a coastal belt of 300 m subject to landscape constraint (by Law No. 1497 of June 29, 1939), where any type of building is forbidden. A special permit can be granted by the Region only after the authorization of the Ministry of the Environment and Cultural Heritage.

SECTION II: GOVERNANCE METHODS FOR COASTAL ZONE

1. Consolidating integration mechanisms 1.1 Spatial integration

In recent years the attention on environmental issues has increased the number of studies and environmental assessments, but the approach tends to be addressed specifically on marine or terrestrial components, without focusing on mutual relations. 1.2 Intersectoral Integration Sectorial intercommunication is still not developed, but projects such as ADRIBLU, ECOGOVERNANCE, TRECORALA and RITMARE may represent a starting point to implement it. 1.3 Institutional integration and governance structures As seen in the previous paragraphs, many institutions have information on topics and issues related to marine-coastal areas. The spread of this information forces continuous coordination among the numerous institutions and makes it difficult to proceed with a comprehensive and holistic approach of issues. This reduces the ability to manage coastal areas coherently and efficiently. Regional laws, regulations and plans do not provide the establishment of a structure specifically responsible for ICZM in short time, nor give provisions or suggestions to better coordinate currently active structures. 1.4 Science-management Integration The projects carried out by ARPA FVG, regarding ICZM issue, are:

• ECOGOVERNANCE

International project to manage transitional marine ecosystem with the purpose to overcome

fragmentation of knowledge and common competence and to enhance policies that combine normal

socio-economical features with environmental protection and sustainable development;

• ADRIBLU

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Project proposed to stimulate a cross-border process of sustainable development of the upper

Adriatic fisheries sector, experiencing an interdisciplinary land management needed to achieve the

goal of a future ICZM system;

Fig. 13 Picture of a scientific meeting organized by ARPA FVG (Source ARPA FVG).

• TRECORALA

Project involving institutions of Italy and Slovenia that regards biological knowledge on the Trezze and

coralligenous formations in the Gulf of Trieste. The purpose is to identify guidelines for the

management, protection and enhancement of the natural heritage by strengthening the attractiveness

and competitiveness of the area and contributing to the protection of biodiversity;

• RITMARE

Italian project still in a beginning phase consisting of several sub-projects including the Maritime

Spatial Planning in the Coastal Zone. The project ensures the integration, enhancement and direct

transfer to decision-makers and operators of research activities outcomes, to support policies and

management processes regarding Italian coastal areas and maritime space, in line with the principles

of sustainable development and based on the ecosystem approach.

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However, ECOGOVERNANCE, ADRIBLU and TRECORALA do not take into consideration the entire area and all the issues of the regional marine-coastal zone. RITMARE has a wider approach about coastal areas but it is still in its initial phase (started in 2012). 1.4 International Integration International and European projects and studies are usually the most important chance to exchange good practices and experiences or to decide shared approaches on management of coastal zone. Friuli Venezia Giulia, as already seen in the previous paragraphs, participates as partner to different international projects. Anyway, the lack of integration and coordination of these research results, makes it difficult to achieve a common management among coastal areas of Friuli Venezia Giulia and other partners.

2. Information, participation and the right to legal recourse 2.1 Information 2.1.1 Beneficiaries of information

In order to pursue transparency in public administration, the Italian government drafted the Law No. 241 of August 7, 1990, containing rules of administrative procedures and right to access administrative documents. The National law 241/1990 has been subsequently updated by Law No. 15 of February 11, 2005, D.L. No 35 of March 14, 2005 and Law No. 80 of May 14, 2005. The operating mode about the right to access administrative documents is defined by P.D. No. 184 of April 16, 2006. All public institutions must also guarantee public access to environmental information due to D. Lgs. No 195 of August 19, 2005, implementing directive 2003/4/EC. With the purpose of transparency, the law ensures the systematic presence of environmental information to the public and their diffusion in forms and formats readily available. In compliance with these regulations, all coastal municipalities have incorporated the right to access administrative documents in their own regulations. 2.2.1 Scope of information Even if ICZM concepts are still not adsorbed in Friuli Venezia Giulia, basic knowledge and environmental information which are needed to develop it are already existing and achieved. Most of environmental data and administration documents are stored and available on web sites of different institutions as ARPA FVG web site or FVG Region web site. In particular ARPA collects results and reports about monitoring activities and environmental studies and FVG Region collects a large number of plans insisting on territory. Universities, Civil Protection, Coastal Guard web sites store lots of useful information too. Finally, the Official Regional Gazette (B.U.R.), constantly updated, represents a comprehensive database too, regarding all acts and documents produced as time goes by in Friuli Venezia Giulia.

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2.2 Participation 2.2.1 Principle of participation The National Law 241/1990 defines the principle of participation in the administrative procedures, as the citizen participation in the administrative function, contributing to the development of the final decision. 2.2.2 Beneficiaries of participation Art. No. 8 of National Law 241/1990 defines stakeholders as subjects in respect of whom the final measure/decision is intended to produce direct effects and those which by law must intervene in the administrative procedures. 2.2.3 Scope of participation The public administration shall give notice at appropriate time of the initiation of proceedings by means of personal communication (Art. 8 of National Law 241/1990). After it stakeholders can present a written communication with their comments, possibly accompanied by documents. In compliance with this law the coastal municipalities have incorporated the modalities of participation in administration procedures in their own regulations. 2.3 The right to legal recourse The right to legal recourse is a common practice in the Region as well as in Italy, so any citizen has the right of administrative or legal recourse with respect to plans, programmes or projects concerning the coastal zone.

SECTION III: STRATEGIC PLANNING IN COASTAL ZONES

1. National ICZM strategy 2. Coastal plans and programmes as tools for implementing national strategies ICZM strategy is applied on national territory and decided by the central Italian Government as it happens for all coastal planning regarding the implementation of national strategies. The local application of national regulations and strategies occurs by incorporation in the rules developed by Friuli Venezia Giulia Region. In some circumstances the Italian Government may delegate the actions directly to the Region.

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SECTION IV: REGIONAL COOPERATION 1. Principle of cooperation 2. Fields of regional cooperation The Central Italian Government defines the priority and the field of cooperation at international and inter-regional level. In some circumstances the Italian Government may delegate the actions directly to the Region.

CONCLUSIONS Friuli Venezia Giulia partially achieves the objective of ICZM Protocol to “ensure the sustainable use and management of coastal zones in order to preserve the coastal natural habitats, landscapes, natural resources and ecosystems” (Art. 8 comma 1). During the last years, the issue of environmental protection became more and more sensed in the Region, although Friuli Venezia Giulia remains still behind comparing to other regions. Especially a consistent environmental planning covering the entire coastal zone is needed (e.g.: PGT and PPR have not yet been definitely approved). However coastal municipalities that need to manage these issues, have already organized themselves in order to apply a sustainable management of their territory. At regional level, a large number of normative references are already available, although the difficulty lies in being able to apply laws and regulations consistently among them. Setback zone definition (Art. 8 comma 2 letter a) is still not achieved, but, as seen in the previous paragraphs, the Galasso Law has already been defined a coastal belt of 300 m where building is inhibited. Regarding urbane and infrastructural development along the coast (Art. 8 comma 3 letter b) and integration of environmental concerns into the rules of maritime Domain management (Art. 8 comma 3 letter c), PUD has given at least a partial instruction. It regards tourist-recreational features that allow the regulation of activities and building on coastal zone, enhancing sustainable development. by coastal municipalities. Moreover, coastal municipalities implemented and pursued the principle of sustainable development in their Regulation. The right of public access to the sea (Art. 8 comma 3 letter d) is also ensured by PUD, because it inhibits the construction of fences and the licensees must guarantee through appropriate openings the free access and passage to reach the sea from the shoreline. Anyway, the preservation of the environment is one of the most important issues for the regional Government and this is the fundamental basis on which any strategy may be developed. At the moment the most critical actions to be realized and/or reinforced in the next years seem to be:

- the creation of "technical tables" for discussion among experts in coastal management; - the involvement of the most relevant stakeholders; - the implementation of procedures for periodic evaluation of results and actions on the coastal zone;

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- the formal allocation of GICZ through the institution of new organizations devoted to the integrated coastal management.

Moreover it is important to sustain education and research to strengthen the link between citizens and their environment. At last but not at least, a financial commitment is needed in the long term. In summary, the further development of a regional ICZM strategy in the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region needs consistent administrative and financial effort. On the other side, knowledge of the topic, specialized expertise, adequate knowledge of the social aspects and full awareness of the issue at political level are fundamental. In fact, the political will can make a strong coordination among different Regional Offices and Institutions possible. The coordinated approach can help also the spreading of ICZM principles, encouraging the involvement of all stakeholders in implementation processes.