Rozita Sharifipour - Assistant professor , Islamic Azad University
Afshin Danehkar - Assistant professor , Tehran university
Bitollah Mahmodi - Master science , Maab consulting
Razie Mosadegi - Master science , ?Grific University

The term Sea Sensitive Area (S.S.A.) has been in use less than three decades. The importance of S.S.A. was first mentioned by the Marine Environment Protection Committee (1978). From1986, the International marine Organization (I.M.O.) incorporated Program Recognition andIntroduction of S.S.A. to its agenda. In 1991 this led to taking the decision to recognize regions which because of ecological, economical, social or scientific reasons, caused by internationalnavigation activities, as “sensitive and vulnerable areas”. Methods obtained from IMO’s guidelines were adopted by the Organizing Committee’s resolutions A-720 (17) and A-885 (21) and subsequently were approved and adopted officially by the General Assembly’s resolution A-927 (22) in 1999. In its latest revision I.M.O. defines regions known previously as “Areas” now as “Sensitive Sea Areas (S.S.A.)”. IMO also mentions that the ecological environmental conditions of special sea areas are vulnerable to the activities of international navigation and as well existing protection factors related to the scope of activity of this organization are the reasons for determining Special Sea Sensitive Areas (IMO/MEPC, 2001). Generally “sensitive areas” are known or defined as vital or critical regions thus stressing their extreme importance, as well as their natural vulnerability. The value of these areas should be recognized as independent or as supporting factors of other habitats or species. This point of view has been influenced by William Odom (1988), Grim Kalhor and Richard Chington’s (1992) opinions about sensitive habitats. These types of habitats are capable of guaranteeing an ecological or social period and to perform a vital role in their survival (Majnoonian 2000).

Spatial multi Criteria Evaluation, Zoning, Coastal Sensitivity zone, Sistan & Blochestan province