The President’s decree last November on the division of the board of directors moved planning matters, including the issues of marine and coastal planning, from the Minister of the Environment and Natural Resources to the Minister of Infrastructure. The chairmanship of the regional councils is now transferred from the Minister of the Environment to the Minister of Infrastructure. The chairman of the regional councils for the development of coastal planning in the Eastfjords and Westfjords, Sigurður Ingi Jóhannesson, has now appointed Magnús Jóhannesson as chairman of the regional councils. Magnús has just retired as the Secretary General of the Arctic Council, having previously been the Secretary General of the Ministry of the Environment. The chairmanship of the regional councils is assumed by Stefán Gíslason. Magnús is welcome to join the regional councils as soon as Stefán is thanked for his hard work.

The regional councils in the Eastfjords and Westfjords are currently working on a proposal for a coastal area plan for the regions and it is expected that proposals will be submitted in the near future.