In order to utilize the coastal resources in a sustainable and balanced way in the long term a management model that ensures the coordination between economic, social, spatial, and environmental aspects is needed. In other words, integrated coastal zone management aims to develop policies ensuring optimal balance between natural resources and socio-economic development. Integrated coastal zone management inspects the feasibility of any project realized in the coastal areas within scientific data derived not only from natural sciences but also from socio-economic studies.

General aims of the Integrated Coastal Zone Management in Turkey are:
– To develop an integrated policy and decision making process covering all relevant sectors to encourage a coherent and balanced use of the coastal areas,
– To determine the available uses of the coastal areas and their effects on the environment
– To adopt preventive and protective approaches including the systematic observation and evaluation of the effects of important projects.
– To encourage the development and implementation of management models regarding the national resources and environment; reflecting changes such as pollution, sea erosion, loss of resources, and destruction of habitats due to the use of coastal and marine areas,
– To ensure the access of individuals, groups, and organizations to information; to involve them in the planning and decision making process and to enable them to give their opinions at appropriate levels.

The ICZM Project is from the Romanian Ministry of Regional Development and Tourism (Joint Managing Authority). Sinop Municipality is the main partner of the Project in Turkey together with other partners (Rize University, TUDAV, DAYKO, and Kastamonu Governorship). The project period is two years and applying the management model in the area is the main target.