IDENTIFICATION, CONSEQUENCES AND MANAGEMENT OF THE ANOXIC ZONE OF AMVRAKIKOS GULF (NW GREECE)

Project facts

Project promoter:
ELKE-UNIVERSITY OF PATRAS
Project Number:
GR02-0010
Target groups
Civil servants/Public administration staff,
Researchers or scientists
Status:
Completed
Initial project cost:
€354,316
Final project cost:
€335,033
From EEA Grants:
€ 284,778
The project is carried out in:
Greece

Description

Amvrakikos Gulf, is a 400 km2 semi-enclosed embayment in North-western Greece. It has limited exchanges with the Ionian Sea, it receives the freshwater of two rivers having hydroelectric dams and extended lagoons cover a large part of its Northern coast forming a Natura site and since 2008 the main area of the Amvrakikos National Park. Important traditional fisheries exist and several sea farms have been established the last 15 years forming a large fishery dependent community. Unfortunately the last decades a degradation of the sea water quality is observed. More than 50% of the Amvrakikos surface is covered by low oxygen (dysoxic or anoxic) water masses. Below the depth of 20m the oxygen concentration is too low to maintain life. In several cases the upward movement of the anoxic waters induced important fish die-off. Amvrakikos entered in the long and rapidly growing list of the marine dead zones of the world. The aim of the project is to achieve a more integrated management of marine and inland water resources in the area. The goal will be attained by increasing the knowledge of the structure and dynamics of the anoxic zone, by developing the infrastructure for a more efficient monitoring, including important human activities directly linked or affecting the quality of the Amvrakikos waters and by increasing the information flow and the public awareness. Oceanographic cruises, fisheries studies and analysis of the rivers and drainage channels inflow in parallel with remote sensing monitoring will be carried out. Collaboration with the main beneficiaries such as stakeholders of the fisheries and aquaculture sector, the regional and central administration, environmental organisations and citizens desiring to be involved in the collection of field information is planned.

Summary of project results

The Amvrakikos Gulf (NW Greece), is a 400 km2 semi-enclosed embayment having limited exchanges with the Ionian Sea. It receives freshwater from two rivers (with hydroelectric dams) and is bordered by 16 lagoons located mainly in the Northern part. The gulf has the structure and function of a fjord. The Amvrakikos National Park, which was established in 2008, includes several Natura 2000 sites. Important fisheries exist here since antiquity and during the last 20 years, several fish farms have been established, forming a large fisheries dependent community. During the last decades, a degradation of the ecosystem has been observed with approximately a 50 - 70% of the gulf’s surface being covered with hypoxic or anoxic water masses, depending on the season. Below 18m depth, oxygen concentration is too low to support life, while upward movements of anoxic waters have induced important fish die-off. The ecological, economic and cultural importance of the ecosystems of Amvrakikos fully justified a more integrated management approach, i.e. an improved understanding of the ecosystem structure and dynamics, more efficient monitoring of various parameters - and increased information flow between relevant stakeholders and citizens. The project provided crucial data for the management of the area and created citizen networks around the gulf. Oceanographic cruises mapping the anoxic zone and studying the main mechanisms of the Amvrakikos – Ionian Sea water exchanges were coupled with remote sensing monitoring of surface waters, confirming the fjord/ lagoon- like function of the Gulf. The monitoring of small pelagic fish stocks revealed a biomass of c.18000 t distributed almost exclusively in the surface layers. Several habitats dominated by coraligène formations, which are important fishing grounds, were mapped. The importance of the lagoon – gulf linkages for fish populations was highlighted. The comparison between the present geomorphology of the gulf’s entrance and 17th century maps explained important aspects of the present problems. Sediment samples from the bottom of the gulf revealed that the degradation of the ecosystem began in the mid 1970’s, when major changes were observed in the area surrounding the Gulf (intensification of agriculture and livestock raising, rural development, construction of hydroelectric dams , deepening of the Gulf’s sill, fish farming, etc). The project gained endorsement from the local communities.

Summary of bilateral results