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Contemporary and near-future shoreline change is widely regarded as an issue on small tropical islands. While it is widely anticipated that sea-level rise will precipitate shoreline recession on tropical islands, studies to date record both accretion and recession at historical timescales. This study of Seven Mile Beach, Grand Cayman presents a case study of historical shoreline change in which the local geomorphic setting is shown to be an important influence on shoreline behaviour. Consistent with its leeside setting, historic shoreline analysis (1958–2019) reveals erosion on the margins and accretion in the central part of the headland-embayment beach where no beachrock is present. The beach comprises five discrete, but interlinked subcells delineated by low headlands of exposed beachrock. These headlands have emerged through shoreline recession post-1971 but once exposed have become loci of persistent erosion, suggesting a positive feedback between beachrock and waves. A Category 5 Hurricane generated waves directly opposed to long-term modes and throughout the beach, long-term patterns of shoreline change were temporarily reversed, however, the historic pattern of shoreline change was restored within 2 years. The contemporary patterns of erosion and cell development suggest a reduction in sediment supply leading to cannibalization of relict beachridges on the margins of the embayment and emergence of formerly buried beachrock. The effects of coastal structures and erosion abatement measures were assessed and recommendations for coastal management, including development setback lines are presented. • Most beachrock-lined shorelines in the study area show long-term erosion. • Seawall construction increases recession rates and complete beach loss. • A uniform approach to setbacks fails to recognise major shoreline variability. • The deployment of reefballs had no impact on long-term shoreline behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper identifies and examines current coastal issues and conflicts in the northwest Europe region through the use of questionnaire surveys. The overall management concerns and outstanding problems across the region are highlighted and the results are presented in relation to previously identified management issues in northeast England, east Grampian in Scotland, and France. The survey presents a list of identified issues, each of which has a direct relationship to one of the 3 pillars of sustainable development, (environment, economic and social), and therefore the Lisbon Agenda (economic and social) and the Gothenburg Agenda (environment and environmental risk). The survey reveals that the important coastal management issues across the region are the large-scale concerns traditionally associated with ICZM: land-use planning, estuary management, natural resource and landscape protection, and water quality. Generally, respondents considered that management response to these issues is poor. Dissatisfaction levels were particularly high in France and Ireland, and to a lesser extent, in England. Water quality management escapes general criticism. This can be regarded as a positive finding, because it indicates that pan-European initiatives (the water-related EU directives) can deal effectively with this pan-European problem. The paper considers the links between the main issues across North West Europe and aims to distinguish how current coastal management practices have affected the range of issues arising. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Throughout northwest European coastal countries risks associated with coastal erosion are significant but spatially and temporally variable. The level of this risk is largely dependent on the extent of development within the coastal zones and a variety of approaches have been adopted for its management. The decision-making process for responding to erosion risk depends to a large extent on national policy. Coastal protection policy in northwest European countries varies in terms of the level of centralisation and formality of arrangements. In this paper the practical outworking of the informal practice-based system of Ireland, where there is no national policy framework, is compared with the policy-led system of England and Wales where formal national guidelines exist. Using case studies, the strengths and weaknesses of both the bottom-up and top-down approaches are assessed. The findings reveal strengths and weaknesses in both existing types of approach. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Studies the implications for coastal zone management of a comparative study on the perception and value of beaches in rural Portugal and Ireland. Key issues of interest; Analysis of pertinent issues and relevant topics; Implications on coastal research and the littoral sciences.

Societal concern (both real and imagined) over coastal erosion and flooding, often results in construction of sea defences to protect property. Sea defences are, however, damaging to the natural ecosystems that provide quantifiable ecosystem services to the human population. Protection of property is, however, the most common driving force behind construction of sea defences and the basis of any associated economic appraisals. Protection of the coastal ecosystem (sedimentary, biological and chemical) while commonly implied in strategic documents (e.g. Habitats Directive 92/43/EEC, Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EC, OSPAR Convention), remain largely aspirational notions that currently have a much lower priority, or none at all, in sea defence decision-making. Under this anthropic view of coastal protection it is not surprising that defence structures proliferate. In many instances, shoreline armouring is considered on a case by case basis with little regard to the cumulative effects. This is true whether or not there is a strategic approach to coastal protection. In this paper the Northern Ireland coast is used as a case study to document the nature and extent of shoreline protection structures associated with sandy beaches. The nature and extent of sea defence structures were documented from a low-level oblique helicopter-based photographic survey and mapped in a GIS. The implications for the coastal ecosystem are considered. A sustainable approach to shoreline management demands a balance between protection of property and preservation of coastal ecosystem services. • Sea defences damage coastal ecosystems at multiple timescales. • Decision-making regarding sea defences often ignores ecosystem impacts. • The cumulative effects of multiple sea defences are often ignored in decision-making. • The extent of armouring on the coast is symptomatic of an infrastructure-led perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The COREPOINT (COastal REsearch and POlicy INTegration) project aimed to advance integrated coastal zone management (ICZM) in northwest Europe through a network of local authorities, research organisations and NGOs. It involved 12 partners from Ireland, the United Kingdom, France, Netherlands and Belgium. The project enabled a comparison of approaches to ICZM at the northwest Europe scale and a series of workshops was hosted to promote the principles contained in the European Union''s recommendation on ICZM. At the local level, linkages were formed between research organisations and coastal management practitioners in local authorities in an attempt to bridge the science-management divide. This special edition contains several papers that deal with different facets of the project''s results. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]