Filenews 12 January 2022 - by Angelos Nikolaou
Environmental approval was received yesterday by the company Blue Island PLC to increase the annual production of the existing fish farm near the Vasilikos area from 1800 to 2200 tons of sea bream and sea bass production annually at sea. Following the decision of the Environmental Authority, the Department of Fisheries and Marine Research is expected to issue a licence to operate the fish farm.
The reasoned finding was based on the information report submitted by the company and focuses on the expected environmental impact of the marine facilities used for fattening the fish, in which they remain on average for 14 months until their weight is deemed satisfactory for fish, and/or is allowed by the prevailing weather conditions.
The company's marine facilities are located in the area of Cavo Dolos near the Vasilikos - Governor's Coast area. In the area has developed a fish and industrial zone with intense activity in the land and sea area. Specifically, in the area there are, among others, two industrial ports (Vassilikos and Archirodon), the quarry and the Cement Factory of Vasilikos, the Vasilikos power station, the terminal of the company VTTV, as well as four additional aquaculture units (SeaWave Fisheries, Telia Vasiliko, Kitiana Tuna and Telia Tuna). Some fish cages are located at a distance of 80 meters from clusters of the species Posidonia oceanica cover 1-10% and at a distance of 150 meters from clusters of P. oceanica coverage 10-50%. The company has 66 cages at sea, about 1 km from the coast where its facilities are located.
In the context of the project's evaluation, the Environmental Authority sought the views of the Department of Fisheries and Marine Research (IATHE), due to their specialized knowledge about the specific project or its potential impact on the environment.
According to the IATHE, based on the aquaculture statistical data collection program, the company has recorded an annual production of 1800 tonnes for the period 2020. Also, according to the results of the half-yearly environmental monitoring programmes submitted up to and including the year 2020, the ecological status of benthic ecosystems seems to remain at stable levels.
Regarding the cumulative pressure from other units, the THTA informed the Environmental Authority that according to the interministerial decision of the Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment and the Minister of Energy, Trade and Industry, the unit of Seawave Fisheries Ltd will be moved, further west, to the wider sea area of Agios Georgios Alamanos and the Limassol Monastery. Taking into account that this unit will be located closer to the Blue Island plant, the TIF estimates that there is no problem of cumulative pressure that will aggravate or further negatively affect the marine environment of the area Angelos Nikolaou.
