The creation of two new National Marine Parks, one in the Ionian Sea and one in the Southern Cyclades in the Aegean, was announced on Monday morning by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. But what exactly is a marine park, what is the goal of establishing them, and why were these two specific areas chosen? Eight questions and answers attempt to explain what the government’s initiative means.
Read: Kyriakos Mitsotakis: “Two new National Marine Parks in Ionian and South Aegean”
Eight Q&As about marine parks
- What are National Marine Parks?
Marine parks are networks of interconnected protected areas. Their creation offers significant advantages compared to isolated protected areas, mainly due to their holistic ecological, administrative and socio-economic approach. Their purpose is to preserve unique biodiversity, protect and restore habitats, and promote education and awareness about marine nature.
It should be noted that the creation of National Marine Parks was announced, among other commitments undertaken by Greece, by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in April 2024, during the 9th International Ocean Conference held in Athens. At the 3rd UN Ocean Conference held in Nice on June 9, the Prime Minister announced the creation of the Ionian National Marine Park and the South Aegean National Marine Park 1 – Southern Cyclades, which represents the first step in planning and implementing National Marine Parks in the Aegean.
- What changes practically with the establishment of National Marine Parks?
The Parks are established based on strict environmental criteria, achieving spatial unity and consequently facilitating their integrated and effective management. The area is treated in a unified way and provides the possibility of better regulation of permitted uses and activities.
In the National Marine Parks, fishing with mechanized trawlers will be completely prohibited, while additional measures and restrictions are provided for the effective protection of the most vulnerable habitats and species. The implementation of relevant measures will be monitored using an integrated monitoring and surveillance system by OFYPEKA (includes drones, radar, satellite images, etc.) in cooperation with local port authorities.
- What is the goal of establishing the two National Marine Parks?
A. highlighting and documenting the globally unique ecological and scientific value of the archipelagos of the South Aegean and Ionian seas,
B. protecting and managing their valuable ecosystems and species, both on land and at sea,
C. sustainable maintenance and/or restoration of human activities compatible with environmental protection, to ensure the long-term recognition of the area within and beyond borders as a valuable element of global natural and cultural heritage.
- Through what process were the boundaries of the National Marine Parks determined?
The boundaries were determined after corresponding Special Environmental Studies (SES), which are being put to public consultation today, in accordance with national and EU legislation, based on their ecological and environmental value. The two parks include and unify scattered protected areas that already belong to or are being integrated into the European Natura 2000 network. The South Aegean National Marine Park 1 – Southern Cyclades includes 18 existing Natura 2000 network areas and the Ionian National Marine Park includes 24 areas.
The parks are cohesive and geographically defined, so they can be monitored and their effective management is feasible for their substantial protection. Their area even exceeds the Prime Minister’s initial announcements at the 9th Our Ocean Conference. These provided for marine parks with a total area of 22,000 km² (14,000 km² in the Ionian and 8,000 km² in the South Aegean). Today, based on the corresponding special environmental studies, the area increased by 25% and reaches approximately 27,500 km² (about 18,000 km² and 9,500 km² respectively).
- Why the South Aegean National Marine Park 1 – Southern Cyclades? Why were these areas chosen and not others? Why not extend to other areas of the Aegean?
The Southern Cyclades are prioritized as the first implementation stage because they are the most environmentally sensitive ecosystem. The Park area includes a very ecologically important section of the Aegean, which simultaneously receives strong pressures mainly due to tourism.
The Park was defined using strict scientific criteria. Moreover, its area exceeds the commitments undertaken during the announcements at the Our Ocean Conference. This is an exercise with great environmental and technical difficulty, which must simultaneously be ecologically coherent while meeting the requirements for effective management, monitoring and protection of the Park.
We are proceeding gradually in implementation with the first phase in the Cyclades. The next phase will follow. It should be noted that in the North Aegean there is already the National Marine Park of Alonnisos.
- Why the Ionian National Marine Park?
The Park’s area is of crucial importance for many marine mammal species that use the Greek Trench of the Ionian as their main habitat area and are threatened by anthropogenic pressures such as ship collisions and underwater noise. The total area of the Park is approximately 18,000 km².
- What are the next steps?
The Special Environmental Studies (SES) of the National Marine Parks are being put to public consultation today until September 22. Immediately after, the Ministry of Environment and Energy will proceed to process the consultation comments and draft the Presidential Decree, aiming to submit it to the Council of State by the end of October. With the completion of legal processing by the Council of State and publication of the Presidential Decrees, the establishment of the two parks is completed.
- When will you proceed to the next phase in the Aegean?
The Aegean National Marine Park 1 – Southern Cyclades is the first phase of a major undertaking concerning areas throughout the entire Aegean. When this stage is completed, the next ones will follow.
