Incorporating concerns of coastal stakeholders in planning and management: The case of St. Margaret's Bay

This thesis focuses on identifying the coastal concerns of stakeholders in St. Margaret's Bay (SMB) Nova Scotia (NS) and determining how these concerns could be incorporated into planning and management decisions affecting SMB. Methods used included an online survey, interviews with SMB stakeholders and decision makers and with representatives of the Bluenose Coastal Action Foundation (BCAF) in Mahone Bay, NS. The research identified a high degree of concern by stakeholders for environmental and socio-economic issues and an interest in community-based management. Current initiatives by decision makers to engage stakeholders and recommendations for improvements, along with lessons learned from the BCAF illustrate methods that could enhance primary stakeholder participation in the planning and management of the SMB coast. Key among these were the use of community-based management supported by strong ties with an increasingly integrated government, a broad NS coastal policy, and long term funding for action projects.