Sustainable Economic Activities in Mediterranean Marine Protected Areas, Field project Albania
The Institute for Nature Conservation in Albania, in cooperation with the World Wild Life Mediterranean Programme Office (WWF MedPO), is implementing a project to support “Sustainable economic activities in Marine Protected Areas – Field Project Albania", funded by the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund. This activity is part of a wider regional initiative project called "Sustainable Economic Activities in Mediterranean Marine protected areas - SEA-Med", which is implemented in eight marine protected areas of Libya, Tunisia, Turkey, Croatia, Algeria and Albania.
The project aims to support the development of tourism in the Marine Park Area Karaburun-Sazan, as the only Marine Protected Area in our country. It is being developed in close cooperation with local partners such as the Park Administration, Orikum Municipality, Vlora University, non-governmental organizations, etc. The project will support bussiness activities in the area that are environmental friendly through further promotion of sustainable activities and providing them with certificates of compliance with EU standards.
In order to assess the progress on project implementation, several meetings were organized on January 9, 2014 with local working group, partners and stakeholders such as the Tourism Department of Public University 'Ismail Qemali” in Vlora, local organisation on environmental education SEEP, the development agency AULEDA and the Orikum Municipality. The discussions with the working group were oriented towards the progress of the project implementation, the work plan for 2014, preparation of a draft plan with Vlora University in order to conduct a study on nature-based businesses, as well as discussion with local partners of the terms of reference for the certification process of tourist activities in the area.
Of a particular importance were discussions around strengthening cooperation in specific activities of the project visibility, concrete possibilities of cooperation in the certification process of sustainable tourism activities affecting the Marine Protected Area, the preparation of a database on tourism activities in Vlora- Orikum which affect the marine protected area in Karaburun - Sazan and involvement of the tourism department in Orikum Municipality in certification process for sustainable activities in that area.
