Science & Tech · Science & Environment · 14 hrs ago
Greek Gulf Faces More Fish Farming Despite Signs of Ecological Damage
The Ambracian Gulf in western Greece is a protected area for wildlife and marine life.
It is also home to 19 active fish farms and 11 that have been abandoned.
The gulf has beaches covered in plastic foam, low oxygen levels in its waters and few fish caught by local boats.
Greece produces more than 120,000 tons of farmed fish each year, most of it for export.
Plans to expand fish farming in Greece were approved in 2011, and designated areas have been introduced over the past 15 years.
The Greek government now wants to double fish farming output in the gulf, a plan opposed by a marine scientist who says the area is already in trouble.
The debate matters because the gulf’s farms operate within a protected area that is home to endangered dolphins, turtles and pelicans.
The Greek government wants to allow more fish farming in the Ambracian Gulf despite reported signs of ecological damage.
The Gulf is a national park, protected wetland and marine protected area that is home to endangered species.
It has 19 active and 11 abandoned fish farms, and a marine scientist opposes plans to double the Gulf’s fish-farming output.
The article describes oxygen-depleted waters, plastic-covered beaches and few fish in local boats’ nets.
Greece’s aquaculture expansion plans were approved in 2011 and have been rolled out across the country over the past 15 years.
- Who
- The Greek government wants to allow more fish farming in the Ambracian Gulf; marine scientist Roxani Naasan Aga-Spyridopoulou opposes plans to double output.
- What
- Plans to expand fish farming face opposition amid signs of ecological damage.
- When
- The expansion plans were approved in November 2011; the article was published on 2026-10-11.
- Where
- The Ambracian Gulf in western Greece.
- Why
- The government’s plans are part of an effort to expand aquaculture; the article says the 2011 expansion was intended to attract foreign investment.
Greek government
Roxani Naasan Aga-Spyridopoulou
Fish-farming expansion
Greek government
The government wants to allow more fish farming in the Gulf.
Roxani Naasan Aga-Spyridopoulou
She opposes plans to double the Gulf’s fish-farming output.
Environmental condition
Greek government
The article says the government wants to allow more farms despite existing damage.
Roxani Naasan Aga-Spyridopoulou
She says the Gulf is dying and that something needs to be done.
It’s like having a vulnerable cancer patient and letting him keep smoking
Something needs to be done for Amvrakikos because it’s dying
Greek waters began hosting industrial aquaculture.
Eight government ministers signed a decree to expand aquaculture areas 24-fold.
60,000 acres of coast had been earmarked for multinational companies.
Prime Minister George Papandreou had resigned and the government had collapsed.
The aquaculture regions have been slowly rolled out across Greece.
- Active fish farms in the Gulf
- 19
- Abandoned fish farms in the Gulf
- 11
- Planned output change
- Plans to double fish-farming output
- 2011 expansion decree
- Aquaculture areas expanded 24-fold
- Coast earmarked
- 60,000 acres
Sources
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