The limits of coastal and marine areas in Andalusia (Spain). A socio-ecological approach for ecosystem-based management

Coastal and marine areas represent one of the most relevant spaces on a global scale to address management and conservation processes. Firstly, this is due to the interactions that characterise the area of exchange between land and sea. Secondly, it is the area where the main population settlements are located. However, there is no agreed definition of the scope of the coastal zone for management, and legal delimitations usually simplify the reality, making it impossible to develop Ecosystem Based Management in these areas. The research advances on a proposal for a conceptual and geographical delimitation of coastal areas from a socio-ecological perspective. The results show a delimitation of the coastal area based on two large geographical areas: The Coast and the Coastal Zone. The first one includes the Coastal Water, the Intertidal Area and the Shoreland. Seconly, the Coastal Zone is fundamental for understanding certain ecosystemic and social phenomena, and includes two units: Coastal Zone Water and Coastal Land. The proposed socio-ecological limits do not always coincide with the legal limits, which is why this article analyses in depth, for the case of Andalusia (Spain), the state and regional legislation on coastal matters. With all this, ideas are proposed on which to introduce socio-ecological delimitation into the legal limits and thus advance towards Ecosystem-Based Management in coastal and marine areas.