At the initiative of iSea, and within the framework of the Amvrakikos Alliance, 16 entities joined forces to submit coordinated proposals aimed at improving the management of the Natura 2000 protected areas in Amvrakikos Wetlands National Park.

This action stands as a meaningful example of collaboration between science, local communities, and institutional stakeholders, with active participation from local fisheries associations and federations, environmental organisations, Universities and the Association of Public Sector Ichthyologists, adding both legitimacy and depth to the submitted proposals.

This initiative follows a similar effort, also led by iSea, during the public consultation for Special Environmental Study (SES) 7B concerning Lemnos and Lesvos, where 18 local stakeholders collaborated to present joint proposals for the protection of the region’s natural wealth.

During the public consultation for the SES of the Amvrakikos Gulf, the involved parties co-developed a comprehensive, evidence-based proposal package, addressing the most pressing environmental and social challenges of the National Park.

Key proposed measures include:

• The ban on any type of bottom trawling, to safeguard the region’s sensitive marine ecosystems and important commercial species.
• Enhanced protection of sharks and rays, key species indicating the ecological balance of the Gulf.
• The gradual relocation of fish farms outside the Gulf, aiming to reduce organic pollution.
• The promotion of fishing tourism as a sustainable and socially beneficial alternative for local communities.
• Targeted research to close knowledge gaps, regarding anoxia/hypoxia, and the blue carbon habitats in Amvrakikos Gulf.

Environmental protection can no longer be designed in isolation from the people who depend on it. The active involvement of local communities is not just desirable, it is essential for effective, sustainable, and long-term environmental stewardship. When communities become part of the decision-making process, a new relationship of trust and shared responsibility with nature emerges. Environmental protection is not separate from the well-being of societies, it is the very path toward it.

For more information and the full proposal text, click here.