Recommendations for strengthening the implementation of protection measures in Marine Protected Areas: Guarding, Monitoring, and Enforcement

Recognizing the government’s landmark initiative to create two new marine parks in the Ionian and Aegean Seas, the establishment of which will mark Greece’s first step in the international effort to achieve the  30X30 target at an international and European level, it is also crucial that the next step of effectively implementing protective measures is taken so that this project does not remain on paper.

The purpose of the report is to contribute to Greece’s efforts to effectively implement a comprehensive system for the protection, conducting inspections, and imposing sanctions in marine protected areas, with specific proposals based on good practices in other countries.

Specifically, the proposals aim to strengthen the institutional framework with regard to the responsibilities of the Natural Environment and Climate Change Agency (Ν.Ε.C.C.A.) and the procedures provided for in the legislation, as well as appropriate and clear provisions to facilitate the implementation of protective measures.