Site selection and carrying capacity in Mediterranean ... - FAO Sipam

125 GFCM:XXXV/2011/Dma.9
environmental quality criteria and requirements. In Turkey, the fish farms have to make an assessment
using the Composite Trophic Status Index (TRIX) two times a year and report its results to the
Ministry of the Environment and Forestry.
Ultimately, due to its relevance for site selection and the interactions between aquaculture and the
environment, our survey included a question related to measures in place to protect benthic habitats.
In Croatia, cages have to be sited at a safe distance from all benthic habitats. In Cyprus, the fish
farming permit is accompanied with several terms and conditions, as well as the environmental
approval. In case that there is a problem, both directors have the right to implement any additional
terms and conditions in order to mitigate problems.
In Tunisia, the impact study is a mandatory element of the application to establish fish farming
facilities; the final authorization takes into account protection of the benthic habitats, especially
sensitive ones, including Posidonia oceanica, corals and others.
In Turkey, the Authority for Special Protected Areas (SPA) was established in 1988. Special protected
areas (SPA’s) are designated on the basis of the presence of unique habitats and/or very productive
ecosystems. A site that has been designated as SPA has the greatest protection under existing Turkish
legislation from pollution and/or habitat loss. At present there are nine SPAs on the Turkish coast. Of
these, seven are located on the Aegean coast and two are located on the Mediterranean coast. Within
each SPA they may be inner special areas of protection, especially sensitive zones with habitats that
are considered of special importance such as P. oceanica beds.
In Greece, the new regulation approved in 2009 establishes that no new farms will be located on P.
oceanica meadows; no expansion will be allowed on aquaculture facilities over this habitat, and the
existing ones will not be renewed after the expiry of their concession permit.
8.4.3 Main gaps in mediterranean legal frameworks for aquaculture
The identification of main gaps is the first step in establishing recommendations to improve
aquaculture legislative frameworks in the Mediterranean. According to the data obtained from the
SHoCMed surveys and secondary information available, the major gaps can be summarized as
follows:
• The definition of aquaculture in the legal frameworks lacks a comprehensive concept, which
should not only consider the activity itself but also the categories involved with respect to
location (offshore, inshore, etc.) production (intensive, extensive, etc.) and other relevant
criteria.
• The current cumbersome institutional settings call for simplification of both regulation and
administrative procedures.
• There is a lack of coordination tools for solving overlapping and concurrence of agencies
involved in aquaculture and related issues.
• There is underutilisation of soft law mechanisms (guidelines, voluntary schemes, etc.).
Guidelines are intended to be flexible and adaptable to changes, depending on endogenous or
exogenous factors, as well as the input from new information. The introduction of selective
incentives, positive or negative, has proven useful to achieve implementation and compliance
of voluntary schemes.
• There is lack of manager and decision-maker training in relation to aquaculture planning and,
in some cases, to the aquaculture itself.
125