ID: 24
Presenting Author: VASSILIKI VASSILOPOULOU
Status: pending
Cumulative impact assessment and ocean circulation modeling are linked to address fishing litter risks in MPAs and support stakeholder-informed management
The potential of impact assessments to inform decision-making remains constrained by limitations in data, methods, and governance integration. This study, conducted under the EU LIFE DREAM Project, has focused on the Alonissos Marine Protected Area (MPA) in Greece, where we quantified cumulative impacts on sensitive habitats, including coralligenous reefs, with particular attention to pressures from small-scale fisheries (SSF), as the primary driver of reef habitats degradation seemed to be derelict fishing gears. CIA results were then linked to ocean circulation patterns to predict potential high-impact zones on reefs, based on the dispersal of fishing litter and their subsequent entanglement in those habitats. CIA-derived risk maps provide an effective means of communicating findings, and represent a powerful tool for fostering stakeholder awareness and validation of outcomes, thus promoting a risk-based, adaptive decision-making. Nevertheless, because near-real-time data and model outputs inherently involve high levels of uncertainty, it is essential that the latter is also acknowledged and communicated. In this vein, governance structures that actively involve the engagement of key stakeholders, and particularly fishers, can enhance the credibility, legitimacy, and practical usefulness of assessments, supporting management decisions with broad acceptance. This is especially critical in MPAs, where long-term conservation success is closely intertwined with the resilience of coastal communities.
Vassiliki Vassilopoulou is a marine biologist (PhD) and Research Director at the Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (HCMR) aiming to advance ecosystem-based approaches to fisheries management.
Coauthor 1: LOUKAS KATIKAS
Coauthor 2: MAREN MYRTO BRODERZEN
Coauthor 3: AIKATERINI ANASTASOPOULOU