Who pays when a fish farm stops operating but its facilities remain? The question has resurfaced in the Ambracian Gulf, where abandoned cages and disused equipment coexist with plans to expand production.
The Hellenic Aquaculture Producers Organization (HAPO) has now entered the debate, distancing itself from the abandoned farms and announcing an initiative to address the problem.
The move follows an investigation by the Outlaw Ocean Project, published in Greece by Solomon, which found 19 active and 11 abandoned fish farms in the Ambracian Gulf. At the same time, plans are being considered to increase the areas allocated to aquaculture by more than 110%, potentially more than doubling annual production to over 8,000 tonnes.
In one of the country’s most important protected wetlands, debate over new investment is moving ahead while the restoration of old facilities remains unresolved. The scale of the problem was also highlighted in September, when environmental organisation iSea removed 5 tonnes of abandoned fishing gear and other waste from areas of the Ambracian Gulf, including aquaculture equipment.
In this context, HAPO, which represents businesses accounting for almost 80% of domestic production of sea bream and sea bass, is seeking to distinguish the abandoned facilities from its members’ current operations. “The abandoned farms in the Ambracian Gulf are not linked to businesses that are members of the Organisation,” it said in a statement.
It also stressed that “compliance with environmental legislation and restoration of sites after production ceases are not optional, but a self-evident obligation,” rejecting any association of the entire sector with these specific practices.
The Organisation said in its statement: “HAPO will take the initiative to resolve the problem in co-operation with the relevant body for the Ambracian Gulf POAY, public authorities and local stakeholders.” It clarified, however, that “voluntary action ..... must not replace the legal obligations of those responsible or the institutional role of oversight bodies.”
Since 2025, 41 local and environmental organisations have voiced joint concerns about the proposed Organised Aquaculture Development Area (POAY), citing the gulf’s ecological sensitivity and existing environmental pressures.