Following the Town Council's participation last April in the 1st Forum on Industrial Fish Farms (Seas of Change) held on the Greek island of Poros, the Town Council is joining forces with AKTAIA, a pan-Hellenic organisation for the Protection of the Marine Environment from Aquaculture to defend the coasts from intensive aquaculture.
AKTAIA is made up of seventeen Greek communities that share not only efforts but also the latest scientific, social and legal findings to defend the coasts from intensive aquaculture of carnivorous fish.
The latest action of this entity in view of the upcoming public sale of AVRAMAR, the aquaculture company to which the fish farms installed in Calpe belong, has been to send an open letter to the consultant in charge of the sale to future investors with the aim of explaining the harmful consequences of these farms. Both Calpe Town Council and ACECC have joined this letter.
The letter has been sent to Dimitris Koutsopoulos, Managing Director of Deloitte Greece and to potential buyers of the company representing a network of citizens, municipalities, civil society organisations and scientists from more than 20 communities in Greece and Calpe (Spain), to convey their concern about the expansion of fish farming on our coast, where Avramar is very active.
The letter raises environmental impact issues such as the negative effect of the cages on posidonia meadows, their contribution to increasing harmful phytoplankton outbreaks, the rampant use of formaldehyde and antibiotics, the quantities of microplastics and waste generated by these infrastructures, etc.
Social and economic impacts are also discussed, as fish farming negatively affects tourism and related activities, and therefore the economy of our communities.
Finally, legal issues are raised as the Poros Forum confirmed Avramar's illegal use of land-based facilities on the island for many years. These facilities should be demolished, based on the demolition protocols issued and the site should be returned to its former state at the initiative of the offending company.
The councillor for International Promotion Marco Bittner already explained at the Poros Forum the problems Calpe is experiencing in relation to the extension of the fish farm, which implies an increase in the number of cages from 12 to 45 and which according to a municipal report will have an impact of 450 million euros in losses for the local economy. There are extensive studies and data documenting the harmful effects of cage aquaculture on the marine environment, as well as the devastating effects on the vulnerable communities from which the fish used in the production of fish feed are sourced.