The Department of Fisheries and Marine Research (TATHE) of the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment, dedicates the "World Biodiversity Day", to marine biodiversity and to the establishment of the 1st natural Marine Protected Area (Protected Area).
In a statement, the GIS stated that marine and terrestrial ecosystems, which are home to a variety of animal and plant species, are essential to human existence and play an important role in the sustainable development and maintenance of a healthy and productive environment on our planet.
The establishment of the Marine Protected Area recently entered into force with the issuance of a relevant Decree by the Minister of Agriculture Costas Kadis and marks the beginning of a path of continuous efforts to achieve the goal, which is none other than the recovery of marine biodiversity and stocks to we have in the long run healthy and productive marine ecosystems, which at the same time be able to provide humans with their services and uses and give work and income to fishermen and coastal communities.
TATHE and YGAAP have set as a strategic goal, the protection of the marine environment and the development of a sustainable fisheries model, which combines the benefits of both maintaining fish stocks, supporting fishermen, and creating new prospects for sustainable development. in the development of the economy of the coastal areas.
The aim is to create a national network of WFP, both natural and man-made, which will contribute synergistically to the various other management measures taken to tackle overfishing, increase local biodiversity, enrich fish stocks and attract diving interest. .
The establishment and proper management of PPPs can contribute to the increase of fisheries, since these areas, depending on the protection regime that will govern them, ie if they include no-fishing zones, can within a few years be transformed into fish fish will multiply and enrich the neighboring areas. In essence, these areas will act as nuclei for biodiversity development and as breeding reservoirs for fish stocks.
The participation and support of all stakeholders, ie all those involved in the sea, fisheries, the design and operation of Fisheries is essential for the great effort that begins today TATHE & YGAAP, which aims at the recovery of fish stocks and in the protection and conservation of our marine ecosystems. Creating and managing IPR management alone is not enough.