Adalberto Vallega was professor of urban and regional geography at the University of Genoa, Italy

• The theoretical context. The scientific importance of sea management. From the coastal area to the ocean. The evolution of the natural environment. Margins and ocean areas. Evolving continental margins. The evolution of society. The evolution of society: historical stages. The spatial dimension: diffusion processes. Legal frameworks and the physical environment. The claiming of jurisdictional zones. Internal waters and territorial seas. The sea use structure. Starting points. The sea structure as a whole: the sea use framework. Managing the sea use structure. The role of the external environment. The organizational levels of the sea use structure. The coastal use structure. Introductory remarks. The coastal area: a teleology-based view. Managing the coastal area. The management system. The role of the external environment. The ocean use structure. The nature of the issue. The extent of the ocean area: the natural environment. Managing the ocean area. The ocean management system. The external environment. Conclusions. References. Appendices. A - sea use framework. B - sea management patterns. C - regional seas programme: status of regional agreements. D - the coastal use framework. E - the ocean use framework. Index.