IRICZM is a dynamic, integrated and evolutionary program which aims to strike a balance between the conflicting interests of different parties in coastal zone on the basis of coastal ecological capabilities and long-term developmental needs. It further intends to reduce conflicts among governmental and non-governmental exploiters in line with paving the way for preservation of national resources. On one hand, it takes an approach to provide solution to resolve troubles; while on the other hand it tends to be goal-oriented; that is, it highlights sustainable enjoyment of resources and due observance of preserving environmental values. 

ICZM generally takes three basic approaches which are necessary to be paid attention:

First approach is preservation – oriented. It seeks to preserve coastal areas with a special focus on sustainable exploitation to secure coming generations shares through an integrated management system. 

Second approach is development- oriented. It highlights the sociology-economic development of national coasts. It seeks to ensure that exploitation are logical and serve developmental capabilities of coastal areas and that public have sufficient access to these resources. These are considered as primary preconditions because they can trigger natural sustainability and activate developmental capacities in coastal areas in favor of national development. 

 

Third approach is integration-oriented. It highlights continued cooperation and interactions of coastal exploiters in terms of policies and plans. It intends to make sure that local populations are participated in making plans and programs. It further seeks to establish a unite, strong and cross-sectional strategy for coastal zone, in line with reducing existing (or future) disputed matters among exploiters, maximal balanced exploitation and due cooperation among governmental, non-governmental agencies and local populations in national, regional and local levels.

After approval of the national ICZM studies outcomes for Iran’s coastal zones along the Persian Gulf, Oman Sea and southern Caspian Sea, Ports and Maritime Organization (PMO) started the project of scrutinizing the national ICZM plan for Hormozgan province at early 2014 with collaboration of the province authorities.  Selecting the Hormozgan province as the first place for implementing Iran’s ICZM plan is based on the following reasons:

- Proximity to the strategic point of Hormuz Strait

- Accommodating some of the most important commercial ports of Iran

- Accommodating some of the most sensitive environmental habitats such as mangrove forests and coral reefs

- Proximity to the vast fishing grounds in the Persian Gulf region

- Unbalanced levels of development along the coastal areas of the province

- Encountering social problems such as unemployment, immigration, smuggling and other unlawful activities

Scrutinizing the national ICZM plan for Hormozgan province is carried out by means of several activities: enlargement of the scale to 1:5000 for delineation of the hazard line at the coastal area, updating the data bank and information that were used for national ICZM study, completion of the information gaps and obtaining the required data specifically for the coastal areas of the province, and finally providing the execution plans for each of the coastal districts of the province.  Scrutinizing the national ICZM plan for Hormozgan province is a 24-month project with a target-oriented scope of consulting services which aims at providing the essential requirements for implementing the ICZM goals and objectives along the coastlines of one of the largest littoral provinces of Iran. The scope of services contains:

1- Preliminaries and data gathering

2- Guidance or directional studies 

3- Basic and supportive studies

4- Study outcomes

In the above-mentioned procedure, the role of the native people and local authorities has been emphasized through holding public hearing sessions, brain storming meetings,  educational courses, and coordination workshops.

Goals of the Hormozgan ICZM plan are as follows:

1- Preparation of the necessary conditions for economical growth of the province with respect to the ecological capacities of Hormozgan province

2- Protection of the human settlements and installations along the coastlines of the province against the natural hazards

3- Providing the required conditions for establishment of the South-North transit corridor for transportation of the commercial goods for the Caspian Sea littoral countries

4- Preservation of the invaluable coastal habitats of the province and enhancing its bio-diversity

5- Providing the ground for development of the coastal areas via suitable human activities like ecotourism, aquaculture, small ship building, etc. 

The outcomes of the project and the lessons learned from Hormozgan ICZM plan can benefit the procedure of the implementation of the ICZM plan in other coastal provinces of  Iran along the Persian Gulf, Oman Sea and southern Caspian Sea.