Fisheries and Aquaculture Journal
Open Access

Abstract

A Tool for Ecosystem-Based Management Applied to Pagasitikos Gulf

G Petihakis, A Theodorou, K Tsiaras, A Pollani, A Prospathopoulos and G Triantafyllou

Considering the importance of the marine environment, in this work first effort towards a Marine Management Tool are described and presented. Taking advantage of an extensive in situ program during 1998–1999 a highly complex biogeochemical model was customised and applied in Pagasitikos gulf delivering for the first time valuable information on the ecosystem governing processes. Furthermore, through appropriate scenarios the dynamics behind the formation of mucilaginous events were examined, revealing the underlying dynamics. In the same framework the impact of two fish farms was evaluated illustrating the significance of inputs in the functioning of this sensitive ecosystem. Considering the importance of fisheries, the marine traffic in the area and the associated risk of an accident, future developments include a) an Individual Bioenergetics Model (IBM) that describes the full life of the cycle of the European anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus) and b) the development of a pollutant transport module capable of simulating the evolution of an oil spill.