Prioritised Activities for 1994 – 1995 and Related Budget
Item 3

By Ivan Katavic

SELECTION AND PROTECTION OF SITES SUITABLE FOR AQUACULTURE

I. Context and Background

In securing a practical approach to the site selection in the Mediterranean region, one is faced with a great diversity of current aquaculture practices in a variety of enviornmental, economic and social conditions.

By respecting these circumstances, the production system should be choosen in accordance with the site opportunities and existing and/or planned infrastructure development.

Increased use of the nearshore aquaculture environemtn for commercial and recreational activities are increasing our awareness of maintaining environmental quality for aquaculture. This forced many countries to reexamine the process of site selection and ressources allocation for aquaculture, as well as to address conflict resolution needs in coastal areas.

Within the scopes of the EAM network it is envisaged that EAM will be contributing to the protection and preservation of natural environment through specific procedures for monitoring and through the assistance in establishing environmental legislation. The basic requirement of such monitoring is to identify ecological changes, quanfity and correlate these changes with the anticipated impact of the effluent on the receiving ecosystem.

The evaluation of the impact will consider a selected number of key parameters (“indicators”) which can be specific as far the aquaculture and the site itself is concerned.

For a continuous monitoring program there is a need to consider which variables to monitor, the spatial and temporal scale of monitoring, sampling and analytical methods to be applied, and evaluation including statistical analysis of data.

II. Objectives

-   To define environmental descriptors needed for the identification of sites suitable for relevant aquaculture systems as practised in the Mediterranean region;

-   to establish an operational procedure for protection of aquaculture through harmonised environmental standards and regulations.

III. Outputs

• Guidelines for the preparation of inventories of sites suitable for lagoonar production, land-based aquculture farms, molluse culture systems and cage culture farms containing:

  -   a list of relevant site selection descriptors and related sampling/measurement instructions;

  -   aquaculture site-specife factors to bge considered in both environment protection measures and land (and water) use planning programme;

  -   field testing of case study(ies) in one of two countries which are at early stage of aquaculture development.

IV. Workplan for 1994 and 1995

A. 1994

1. Data compilation by a working group composed of 4 experts specialized in the four aquaculture production systems mentioned above.

2. Meeting of the above working group.

3. Preparatory field visit, for the assessment of available data and discussion with local counterparts.

4. Field testing to other interested countries through consultants as per request.

B. 1995

1. Four-days workshop to be attended by 15 experts to discuss and evaluate guideline for its final adoption.

2. Follow-up : re-evaluation of guidelines based on workshop results and recommendations.

V. Budget

A. Budget for activities in 1994

Phase 2 :

Compilation of data using draft guidelines for the preparation National contribution of inventories

Phase 3 :

Assistance to the local counterparts in finalising inventory of suitable aquaculture sites :

VI. Identification of Interested Parties

These activities will be coordinated directly by te EAM network center (MAP-PAP/RAC, Split, Croatia).

Contributions, in terms of both technical assistance (in kind) and financial support, to these activites are expected from the target countries.

Initial funding for the bienniu8m 1994–1995 is expected from MEDRAP II budget as well as PAP/RAC contribution.

As regards data base, SIPAM contribution will be sollicited.