2011 Volume 65 Issue 4 Pages 199-209
The concept of Satoumi originated in Japan is aiming at well-balanced sustainable management of coastal seas not only in water quality but also in ecosystem and ecosystem services. Varieties of activities by local people on the creation of Satoumi are gradually gaining ground especially in more or less polluted enclosed coastal seas in Japan, where ecosystem and living resources were deteriorated. Since activities on Satoumi have close relationship with integrated coastal management （ICM), recent activities on the creation of Satoumi were reviewed with special reference to ICM. After discussing present status and future perspectives of Satoumi within the frame of ICM, Satoumi can be characterized as bottom-up type of local initiative with special reference to the maximization of ecosystem services and integrated coastal and river basin management.
