What does protection of the Marine Environment mean?

Gyaros is an island with unique biodiversity: the critically endangered Mediterranean Monk Seal uses the deserted beaches and the semi submerged caves in order to rest and breed its pups.  The island’s blue depths hide important populations of the unique underwater plant. Posidonia and coralligenous formations such as Traganas. Both, provide shelter to numerous marine organisms.

All of the above species and habitats and humans are interdependent and interrelated and play an equally important role in the web of life. In order to protect them, together with the ecosystem services that they provide to humans, which are not always evident, a number of measures have to be implemented. The legal establishment of the area, doesn’t mean exclusion of human activities; rather is a way to protect the marine environment. Furthermore and in order to safeguard the implementation and respect of the above measures, a surveillance system will be in operation.

In the section Marine Environment Protection, you can read all the information on the above mentioned actions.