Table 1 Definitions and applications of five core considerations to advance the inclusion of place in narine spatial planning

1

Sense of Place

A place is a space with meaning that includes lived experience, understandings, and histories related to a location³⁶. Sense of place is highly individual and so requires a plural approach that accounts for varied subjective experiences¹⁵⁶.

The understanding of ocean spaces to include ocean places can enable a broader humanistic view of the seascape in MSP and is key to sustainable and equitable MSP moving forward^31,157.

2

Social-Ecological Systems Approach

Social-ecological systems describe intertwined sociocultural and biophysical actors and processes that influence each other⁴⁹.

A shift to a pluralistic social-ecological systems approach may help to capture emergent properties and social-ecological system characteristics (e.g., vulnerabilities, resilience, feedbacks) and could inform a more holistic MSP process⁵⁵.

3

Human and Ocean Health

Healthy oceans support human health and well-being through varied means, such as nutrition, recreation, livelihoods, and cultural practice^158,159.

Understanding the linkages between ocean ecosystems and human eco-cultural relationships that maintain human health and well-being is important. Such efforts can increase stewardship and backing for marine management efforts in MSP^64,65.

4

Multiple Ways of Knowing

Diverse understandings of the world, or multiple ways of knowing, can blend Western science, lived experiences, and traditional and local knowledge systems^80,81.

A Two-Eyed Seeing approach has been advocated as a pragmatic way to bring together different worldviews to ensure the equitable weaving of perspectives^89,90 to inform place-based MSP.

5

Social Data and Knowledge

Social data and knowledge include a wide range of information on sociocultural and human dimensions^4,32,33 for MSP.

Social data and knowledge should be considered when collecting place-based information for MSP to create a new, more diverse ecological understanding of the human relationship with the ocean¹⁵.