Marine Spatial Planning for Oil and Gas Versus Fisheries Zoning in Cross River Estuary

Marine spatial planning is increasingly recognised as an essential governance mechanism for resolving conflicts between competing marine resource users, particularly between the petroleum industry and artisanal fisheries in Nigeria's coastal waters. This study evaluates the application of marine spatial planning principles to manage conflicts between oil and gas facility siting and artisanal fisheries operations in the Cross River Estuary, South South Nigeria. The study adopts a participatory planning research design, convening a series of stakeholder mapping workshops with 52 participants from fishing communities, petroleum company operations teams, government environmental agencies, and academic institutions. Spatial data on existing petroleum infrastructure (pipelines, platform buffer zones, shipping fairways), artisanal fishing grounds (identified through GPS tracking of 20 fishing vessels over three months), and ecologically sensitive areas are integrated in a geographic information system to identify conflict zones. Conflict index mapping quantifies the intensity of spatial overlap between fishing effort and oil and gas exclusion zones. Legal and regulatory analysis examines the adequacy of existing offshore licensing conditions and environmental impact assessment requirements to address fisheries conflicts. Findings are expected to identify the mid-estuary trawling grounds as the highest conflict intensity zone, where seasonal fishing patterns overlap directly with five active pipeline corridors. A draft marine spatial planning framework for the Cross River Estuary is proposed for consideration by the Federal Ministry of Environment. Keywords: marine spatial planning, oil and gas conflict, fisheries zoning, Cross River, Nigeria offshore governance