The report examines Lebanon’s coastline as a shared public asset that is increasingly threatened by coastal violations, restricted access, pollution, and privatization. It explains how the Maritime Public Domain should legally remain protected for public use, yet in practice large parts of the shore have been occupied, built over, or transformed into controlled spaces. The report highlights the environmental, social, health, and economic costs of these violations, including habitat loss, erosion, declining water quality, unequal access to the sea, pressure on fishers and coastal communities, and reduced long-term development value. It also presents the Seal Cave in Amchit as a key case study showing how sensitive coastal sites reveal wider governance gaps, especially around environmental assessment, enforcement, institutional coordination, and preventive planning. Overall, the report calls for stronger coastal governance, public participation, scientific evidence, and proactive protection of Lebanon’s shoreline as a public good for present and future generations.
