This book explores the background, progress and effectiveness of coastal zone management. Economic activity and people are increasingly concentrated in the coastal zone, as are important and often fragile natural resources. One way to address the resulting conflicts is through co-ordinated planning that attempts to foster wise development while protecting natural resources. In recent decades, pressures for both preservation and development have grown more intense at many locations, as people continue to migrate to coastal areas to take advantage of economic opportunities, to retire, and to pursue recreational interests.