Today, the Special Environmental Studies (SES) of the Ionian National Marine Park and the South Aegean National Marine Park 1 Southern Cyclades were approved, following the incorporation of the results of the public consultation of the studies. The formal establishment of the two marine parks will be completed with the drafting and submission to the Council of State of the corresponding draft Presidential Decrees.
According to the Ministry of Environment & Energy, with the two new National Marine Parks, protection is achieved for over 35% of the countrys territorial waters, exceeding the countrys initial European commitment to protect at least 30% of its territorial waters by 2030.
It is noted that in the areas of the two new Parks the use of towed fishing gear that comes into contact with the seabed is explicitly prohibited.
At the same time, three new branches of OFYPEKA were created in Milos, Amorgos, and Kythira for more effective management of the parks, while for more substantial supervision, the reinforcement of OFYPEKA with three offshore vessels (coast guard type) and nine inflatable offshore boats is proceeding quickly, in close cooperation with the Hellenic Coast Guard and environmental organizations. The creation of a comprehensive monitoring system for the Marine Protected Areas also includes the procurementthrough the Recovery and Resilience Fundof specialized equipment (including, among others, flying and underwater drones, radar, etc.).
Additionally, 33 new staff positions for the management of the marine parks have already been secured, which will be announced through ASEP in the coming months.
National Marine Parks are networks of interconnected protected areas. Their creation offers significant additional advantages compared to the previously individual protected areas of the Natura 2000 network, mainly due to the holistic ecological, administrative, and socio-economic approach. Their aim is the preservation of unique biodiversity, the protection and restoration of habitats, and the promotion of awareness regarding the marine environment.
The Minister of Environment and Energy, Mr. Stavros Papastavrou, stated: With the approval of the Special Environmental Studies (SES) of the Ionian National Marine Park and the South Aegean National Marine Park 1 Southern Cyclades, we take another decisive step for the protection of our countrys marine wealth. At the same time, the leading role of our country in Europe regarding the protection of marine ecosystems and biodiversity is confirmed, always within the commitments of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis at the 9th Our Ocean Conference.
The formal establishment of the two new Parks will find us operationally ready. The prohibition of specific fishing practices and the reinforcement of OFYPEKA with highly trained staff and monitoring resources ensure that the protection of these areas will not remain on paper but will be implemented in practice.
