Povilanskas, R., Urbis, A.. National ICZM strategy and initiatives in Lithuania. In: Schernewski, G., Löser, N. (eds.). BaltCoast 2004 - Managing the Baltic Sea. Coastline Reports (2), pp. 9-15. 2004.

Lithuania has one of the shortest shoreline among European countries. Lithuanian coastal zone belongs to the southeast Baltic region of graded coasts, which took their present shape during Pleistocene and Holocene. The shoreline is relatively stable. From the administrative point of view it is very convenient that the entire coastal zone of Lithuania belongs to one (Klaipeda) county. There are no special agencies or institutions in Lithuania, which were responsible for planning, implementation and evaluation of ICZM. In recent years Lithuanian coastal zone management policy could be characterized by a very positive breakthrough. The Law of the Coastal Zone was adopted by the Lithuanian Parliament on July 2, 2002. It was followed by the National ICZM Programme, which was approved by the Ministry of Environment in September 2003. The Lithuanian mainland coastal zone between Klaipeda Seagate and the Latvian border is delimited by at least 100 m wide belt stretching from the mean water level mark landwards. This belt must definitely encompass the beach, the coastal cliff, the foredune and the hinterdune. The Lithuanian coastal zone also encompasses the entire Curonian spit from Klaipeda Seagate to the Russian border. The seaward boundary of the coastal zone is limited by the 20 m depth line. The main ICZM principles as described in the National Coastal Zone Management Programme are: 1. Conservation of natural coastal landscapes and coastal processes. 2. Integration of coastal conservation and coastal use objectives. 3. Littoral cells approach. 4. Differentiation of coastal management measures according to specific priorities for coastal conservation and wise use on a particular coastal strip. 5. Monitoring of coastal processes.