Amvrakikos Alliance
Stronger Together for a Sustainable Future
Stronger Together for a Sustainable Future
The Amvrakikos Gulf is one of the most important ecosystems in Greece with a special ecological value both nationally and internationally. The north side is part of the Ramsar Network since 1975, while several development projects in the 1980s affected the ecological character of this wetland site and resulted in the inclusion of the site in the Montreux Record in 1990. It was only in 2008 that the Amvrakikos Wetlands National Park was founded (Government Gazette 123/D‘/21-03-2008).
In 2006 the Gulf and the wetlands were confirmed as a Site of Community Importance (SCI- GR 2110001) and in 2011 the lagoοns of the north coast were designated as a Special Area for Conservation for Birds (SPA- GR2110004) under national Law (3937/31-3- 11/OJ 60 A). In addition, Amvrakikos Gulf has been delineated as an Important Bird Area, an Important Marine Mammal Area and more recently as an Important Shark and Ray Area. Finally, the North part has been identified as a Key Biodiversity Area but an expansion is required at the borders of the National Park.
Commercial fisheries operating in the study area include only small-scale fisheries working mainly with set nets (i.e., trammel and gill nets). According to the Royal Fishing Law 23.3/8-4-53 trawling and purse-seining have been prohibited within the Gulf all year round since 1953.
Despite the traditional importance of fishery in Amvrakikos Gulf, limited information on the official historical fisheries data is available.