An improved method of assessing marine utilization impact to describe the man-land relationship for coastal management: a case study of the Laizhou Bay, China

Understanding the level of human impact on the marine environment requires integrated and ecosystem-based assessment. This research proposes a method based on geospatial modeling at the activity level to assess the potential impact of marine utilization on coastal management and conservation. Laizhou Bay in China was selected as a case study. The research identified the spatial distribution of economic sectors and the potential impact of that distribution on important marine ecological management zones. The findings reveal that, from high to low, threats exist in the bay-head, and to the east and west, and that marine ecological zones are over-used for open mariculture because the environmental impact of this activity is believed to be low. This paper reveals the spatial distribution of threats from a variety of marine-area uses on the ecology of Laizhou Bay. The findings provide support for policymakers in the implementation of marine ecological red-line policy and in the management of the utilization of the marine environment