Legislation measures

Involvement of the policy makers environmental authorities in the identification of areas for the development of the aquaculture, to guarantee the harmonious integration of the aquaculture facilities in the coastal zones, minimize land-use conflicts and reduce the potential impacts.

Regulations Regulations

Photo: NOAA Photo: NOAA

Relevant type of aquaculture:

Fish Shellfish Seaweed

Relevant sea basin:

Mediterranean

Relevant stage:

Prevention and reduction

Related Barriers:

  • The environmental criteria related to the approval of aquaculture facilities do not include specifications on the non-organic litter management in some Spanish autonomous communities.

  • There is a lack of awareness at all levels of the aquaculture life cycle regarding the prevention of non-organic marine litter.

  • In Greece, there is no specific environmental legislation concerning mussel culture and its waste management

  • In Italy, only finfish farms have to pass through an environmental assessment before starting the activity. Shellfish farms are not obliged to make this assessment.

Related Good Practice:

P&R GP9.1

Establishment of POAY, consortia that manage operations of mussel farms in the North of Greece

Recently, two mussel farming consortia (POAY, “Areas of Organized Development of Aquaculture”), were established in the norther part of Greece, which will be governed by a Board of Councils, composed of members which are representatives of the involved municipalities, farmers and other authorities. POAY Thermaikos, which will manage the activity in the northern part of the Thermaikos gulf, and the POAY Pydnas – Makgygialou will manage the activity in the southern part of the Thermaikos gulf). Stakeholders in charge of the POAYs expect that the full function of the consortia will change the situation radically, with better management and legislations, including waste monitoring and management.

POAY were defined and stablished by the Greece Government in the Law 2742/1999 “Spatial Planning, Sustainable development and other provisions” and the “Strategic Plan for Aquaculture” (2002) with the aim to identify suitable areas for the development of aquaculture (FAO, 2020).