Establishment of National Monitoring and Surveillance System of the Marine Protected Areas.

The scientific monitoring and surveillance / patrolling of the marine protected areas constitute key elements for their effective management and thus also for the attainment of the 30X30 target. The adoption of the appropriate protection and management measures is based on the obtainment of sound knowledge of the situation of the listed habitats and species, which is based on the existence of a unitary system for their monitoring, in all the marine protected areas of the country. In parallel, to ensure the essential implementation of the regulatory measures in practice, it is of crucial importance to implement   a surveillance and patrolling system of these areas by securing the appropriate resources (trained personnel, equipment, etc.)

This commitment comprises two main interconnected elements:  (a) the supply, installation, and pilot operation of scientific equipment and monitoring equipment (such as radars, sonars, submarine sensors, cameras and other special equipment) and the implementation of a horizontal information system for the communication with sea vessels (these elements have been included into the National Recovery and Resilience Plan and (b) monitoring support via the mapping platform of the international non-profit organization Global Fishing Watch, which is monitoring the fisheries activity almost in real time.