About Us

“We must defend our land and the environment because we do not own it, we are borrowing it from future generations.”

AKTAIA

Who we are

Aktaia* is a panhellenic alliance comprised of citizen groups, non-profits, scientists, and individuals from over 20 communities across Greece. Together, we stand united in opposition to the drastic proposal to expand industrial fish farming by 24 times along our coasts. What we want is a healthy marine ecosystem, rich in biodiversity and natural regeneration, and resource use in balance with it. Anything else is unsustainable.

We are united by the common problem of the POAY*, which is coming unchecked to our land and sea to change its character.

The POAY is a plan that ignores local communities and the local government. It is a plan that wants to change the character of our beautiful country and transform vast areas of our coastline into a place of fish production on an industrial scale, with major environmental impacts on the marine and terrestrial environment.

* Panhellenic Alliance for the Protection of the Marine Environment from Industrial Fish Farming

Coordinating Committee

(in alphabetical order by Greek name of organization)

Associations of Fishermen of the Amvrakikos Gulf – Pavlos Charalambous, Dimitrios Smyris
Cultural Environmental and Sustainable Development Network of Pinios Delta and Tempi – Nikos Rigas, Dimitris Palakas
Eco School Eco Act – Vassilis Anagnostou, Nikos Ioannou
Committee of Struggle of the Municipality of Xiromero, Kalamos–Kastos against the POAY of Echinades Islands and Aitoloakarnania – Vassilios Soulas, Elina Makri
Committee of Struggle against Skalochori Fish Farms, Lesvos – Giannis Chatzilias, Nikos Mamoudis
Citizens’ Committee of Aliki (Boeotia) – Prodromos Iosifidis, Giorgos Koulas
Katheti (Poros) – Eva Douzinas, Fay Orfanidou
Movement for the Protection of the Islands – Akis (Gabriel) Papasarantis, Alexis Safner
Environmental Group of Salamina “Perivos” – Andreas Farmakoris, Sarantia Lebesi
Environmental Cultural Association of Ermionida “Massis” (Perpose) – Antonis Maltezos
Cultural Association of Arcadian Village (Municipality of N. Kynouria) – Spyros Apostolopoulos, Panagiotis Karachalios
SOS Evoikos – Thanasis Biniaris, Elias Karambas
Hersonissos Methana – Active Citizens – Viki Alexandratou, Maria Gotsi

Supporting municipalities

(in Greek alphabetical order)

Municipality of Agia

Municipality of Angistri

Municipality of North Kynouria

Municipality of Epidavros

Municipality of Eretria

Municipality of Ermionida

Municipality of Kymi-Aliveri

Municipality of Xiromero

Municipality of Poros

Municipality of Salamina

Municipality of Spetses

Municipality of Troizinia-Methana

Δήμος Αγιάς

Dimos Western Lesvos

Supporting alliances

(in Greek alphabetical order)

Fishing Tourism Association of Greece

Peloponnese Tourism Association

The Tourism Accommodation Federation of Entrepreneurs of the Peloponnese and Kythera

Tourism Accommodation Association of Eastern Arcadia

Represented communities and supporting organizations (in Greek alphabetical order):

Argosaronic Gulf
- Argosaronic Gulf
  - Argosaronic Environment Foundation
  - Katheti
- Ermionida
  - Environmental Cultural Association of Ermionida “Massis” (Perpose)
- Kynouria
  - Cultural Association of Arkadiko Chorio
- Methana
  - Aesthetic Athletic and Educational Association of Troizinia-Methana Municipality “Arsinoe”
  - Nautical Club of Methana “Niriis”
  - Cultural Educational Association of Methana
  - Active Citizens of Methana Peninsula
  - Volcanotrails
- Peloponnese
  - Tourism Accommodation Association of Eastern Arcadia
  - The Tourism Accommodation Federation of Entrepreneurs of the Peloponnese and Kythera
  - Peloponnese Tourism Association
- Poros
  - Gymnastics Association of Poros
  - Commercial, Professional Association of Poros
  - Nautical Club of Poros (Nopt)
  - Friends of Lemonodasos
- Poros-Troizinia
  - Association of Parents and Friends of People with Disabilities “Agios Kirykos”
  - Taxi Association of Poros-Galatas
  - Fishing Trips Poros
- Poros-Troizinia-Methana
  - Gefyra
  - Poros Animal Welfare Society
- Salamina
  - Environmental Group of Salamina “Perivos”
- Spetses
  - Community Trust Spetses
- Troizinia
  - Commercial, Professional, and Craft Association of Troizinia “Solidarity”
  - Cultural Association of Galatas “Friends of Tradition”
  - Cultural Action of Troizina
  - Professional Fishermen Association of Troizinia Municipality
  - Troiziniakos Football Club
Amvrakikos Gulf
- Professional Fishermen Association of Aktio-Vonitsa Municipality
- Professional Fishermen Association of Amfilochia Municipality
- Professional Fishermen Association of Arta Municipality
- Professional Fishermen Association of Nikolaos Skoufas Municipality
- Professional Fishermen Association of Preveza Municipality
Euboean Gulf, North
- Lokroi Municipality
  - Citizens’ Group for the Environmental Protection of Livanates
  - Environmental Protection Association of Agios Ioannis Theologos of the Building Cooperative of Permanent Officers of the Greek Army “Osmaes”
- Mantoudi-Limni-Agia Anna Municipality
  - Cultural Environmental Association of Elymnioi “Makistos”
- Skroponeri
  - Union of Persons based on the 107 article of the Civil Code Residents of Skroponeri “Aeolos”
  - Aesthetic Cultural Association of Residents and Landowners of Skroponeri
  - Aesthetic Association of Skroponeri “Anthidon”
- Halkida Municipality
  - Citizens’ Group for the Conservation of the Kolovrehti Wetland
  - Association for the Protection of Nature and Cutlural Heritage “Sideritis”
Euboean Gulf, South
- Karystos Municipality
  - Environmental Protection Association of S. Karystia (Sppenk)
- Kymi-Aliveri Municipality
  - Environmental Association of Aliveri
North Aegean Sea, Lesvos
- Lesvos
  - Cultural Association of Ancient Antissa
  - Cultural Association “Kalo Limani”
  - Cultural Association “Balini”
  - Cultural Association “Baloutsos”
- Skalochori
  - Athletic Club “Polynikis”
  - Environmental Association of Skalochori “Drys”
  - Cultural Association of People from Skalochori who live in Athens “Agios Georgios”
  - Cultural Association of Skalochori “Platanos”
  - Association of Farmers & Shepherds of Skalochori “Agios Modestos”
  - Parents & Guardians Association
  - Association of Ladies and Young Ladies “Sappho”
Pinios Delta and Tempi
- Cultural Environmental and Sustainable Development Network of Pinios Delta and Tempi
Ionian islands and Aetoloakarnania Coast
- Committee of Struggle of the Municipality of Xiromero, Kalamos–Kastos against the POAY of Echinades Islands and Aetoloakarnania
Corinthian Gulf
- Thebes Municipality
  - Citizens’ Committee of Aliki (Boeotia)
- Korfos
  - Cultural Association of Korfos
Greece
- Movement for the Protection of the Islands
- Fishing Tourism Association of Greece
- Eco School Eco Act

Why the name Aktaia?

In ancient Greece, Aktaia was the nymph responsible for the settlement of relations between the sea and the coast, as her name indicates in Greek.

We hereby declare that:

Coastal waters are a priceless natural resource and belong to all.

No single user has the right to use Greek waters to the detriment of others. For thousands of years, Greek seas have been shared in relative harmony by fishers, recreational boaters, sea transportation, commercial shipping, tourism-related businesses, and year-round and seasonal homeowners.

Participation of the municipalities affected by a proposed project and the communities that share coastal waters with the boundaries of the proposed project, are entitled to have a say in the approval process.

Plans of this magnitude -with a significant environmental, social and economic footprint- should have the approval of local and neighboring communities. The opinion of local authorities should be changed from advisory to binding. Tides, currents, winds, and the potential negative impacts of a project do not follow arbitrary municipal boundaries. Any town whose waters, shoreline and property owners have the potential to be harmed by a project in a body of water shared with the “host” community should have standing in the permitting process. The desired solution for fish farms varies across our membership and as a network, we respect the wishes of each community.

Those applying for permits to use Greek seas and release substances into them must be held to the highest possible standards.

The burden of proof that no environmental degradation or economic harm to other users will take place rests squarely with the applicant; it should not be up to the citizens to have to prove that the project is harmful. Any sign of harm should be investigated thoroughly. The state has a responsibility to establish guidelines and make decisions based on best international standards, and sound, up-to-date scientific data.

Artisanal small-scale fishers are a key part of our society and sustainability.

We value traditional small scale autonomous fishers as part of a sustainable fishery management and to prevent the concentration of control of our seas by a few companies. The quality of our food will improve and our relationship with the sea will be restored. The recovery of traditional fisheries will also help to improve labour relations, circulate resources within communities and promote entrepreneurship. We do not support trawling fishing or overfishing of our seas.

Support for sustainable development investments and small scale, regenerative aquaculture of seaweed, bi-valves and other species that do not require to be fed other fish.

There are many ways to support sustainable job growth in our communities and we support investments in a multitude of sectors such as eco-tourism, independent small businesses, and sustainable agriculture. If approved by the community, small-scale aquaculture can also be a sustainable part of an economy. However, carnivorous fish farming of sea bream and sea bass is not sustainable as it requires wild fish for feed which takes food away from developing countries and damages the marine ecosystems where the farms are based. We do not support subsidies or compromises for carnivorous or large-scale industrial fish farming.

The aim is for the recovery of fish stocks over a period of 10 to 15 years and then sustainable management.

Only in this way will traditional fisheries recover on a healthy basis, with autonomous fishermen, and so the concentration of control of the primary sector at sea by a few companies will be prevented. The quality of our food will improve and our relationship with the sea will be restored. The recovery of traditional fisheries will also help to improve labor relations.

The government and the EU should not directly subsidize or indirectly support subsidies of overfishing of the seas with carnivorous fish aquaculture. The government should seek international cooperation to protect and recover large fish (swordfish, tunas, etc.), which move over vast distances, because their populations are collapsing.