Monitoring and regulation of marine aquaculture in Greece: licensing, regulatory control and monitoring guidelines and procedures

Marine aquaculture in Greece is now established and experienced enough to be able to evaluate its present and determine its future status. The greek production of gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata) and the European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) represents almost 40% of the total European production of these species. There has been a rapid expansion of controlled marine finfish and mussel production since about the middle of 1980. There were two marine finfish farms in 1985 and by the end of 1998 the number increased to 220. The number of mussel farms in Greece increased from five in 1980 to 346 in 1998. Marine aquaculture in Greece is regulated in accordance with a large number of EU Regulations, EU Commission Decisions, EU Council Decisions, EU Council Directives, Greek Laws, Greek Case—Laws, Greek Ministerial Decisions, Greek Administrative Documents and Directives and Greek Legal Council of State Decisions. The weaknesses in the relationship between its legislation and application are discussed.