Assessing networked coastal zone management programs

Abstract During the early development of the national coastal zone management program there was no federal prescription with regard to how coastal states should proceed in establishing their programs institutionally. At one end of the spectrum was the California model—a new coastal ‘'superagency'’ with power not only to plan, but to regulate development. At the other end of the spectrum was an approach which relied on existing agencies and authorities and improved policy development and coordination; this approach was described as “networking.”; Many coastal advocacy groups, academics, and bureaucrats viewed the networked model with skepticism. With more than a decade of experience, we here review and critique the efficacy of this approach to coastal management. Lessons learned from experimentation with networked coastal management programs may provide important lessons for other regional land and water resources management efforts.