Milestones and Actions
Timeline
SURVEILLANCE & GUARDING
PARTICIPATORY PROCESSES
- Issuance of the Special Port Regulations for Syros prohibiting fishing around the island of Gyaros (Government Gazette B’ 39/1979).
- The Ministry of the Aegean commissions the National Technical University of Athens to carry out a study on the restoration of the historic buildings, a study on the restoration of the pier, and a programme for the creation of a network of historical memory trails within the island’s former exiles camp sites.
- September
- The main prison building and all supportive buildings, facilities and structures located in the five bays of Gyaros are designated as landmark buildings | Decision of the Ministry of the Aegean (Government Gazette B’ 1349/2001).
- December
- The entire island is designated as a Historic Site, and all the buildings are designated as historic landmark monuments, whilst a special ten-member committee is set up to propose measures and initiatives to honour the freedom fighters who were exiled and imprisoned on the island | Decision of the Ministry of Culture (Government Gazette B’ 1680/2001).
- Gyaros is decommissioned as a naval fort and naval firing range | Decision of the Ministry of the Aegean (Government Gazette A’ 203/2002).
- The National Technical University of Athens completes its study on the creation of historical memory trails within the site of the former Gyaros exiles camps.
- Demarcation of the boundaries of the area designated as a historic site | Ministerial Decision of the Ministry of Culture (Government Gazette AAP 182/2011).
- Inclusion of the site in the NATURA 2000 network under the code and name “GR4220033: NISOS GYAROS KAI THALASSIA ZONI” (Government Gazette A’ 60/2011).
- New Special Port Regulation for Syros – Clarification of the boundaries of the previously existing fishing ban within a radius of 3 nautical miles from the coast of Gyaros (Government Gazette B’ 3251/2013).
- January
WWF Greece appoints a technical consultant to design the remote surveillance system for Gyaros.
- April
WWF Greece awarded a contract to a boat constructor the construction of a high-speed vessel for use in surveillance operations.
- June
WWF Greece took delivery of the high-speed vessel.
- November
WWF Greece launches a tender for the supply, installation, configuration and training for the Gyaros integrated surveillance system.
- Elaboration of an Ecological Documentation Study for the designation of the area as a Marine Wildlife Refuge.
- Elaboration of draft-guidelines for the ecosystem-based management of Gyaros.
- Drafting of Marine Spatial Plan for the wider Gyaros area.
- Establishment of a permanent Marine Wildlife Sanctuary (KAZ) in the marine zone surrounding the island, including the 50-metre terrestrial coastal zone and extending 3 nautical miles from the coast, for the conservation of the Mediterranean monk seal, the Yelkouan shearwater, Posidonia meadows, reefs and fish stocks in the area | Decision of the Secretary-General of the Decentralised Administration of the Aegean (Government Gazette D’ 463/2015).
- Initiation of remote surveillance and on-site patrols in the marine area of Gyaros by the WWF Greece field team, as part of the CYCLADES LIFE project.
- February
WWF Greece awarded the contract for the supply, installation, configuration and training for an integrated surveillance system for Gyaros.
- October
Installation of a remote surveillance system on Syros and Gyaros.
Completion of stakeholder analysis to select members of the Co-management Committee.
- December
Invitations sent to stakeholders to participate in the Co-management Committee.
- Consultation with stakeholders regarding maritime spatial planning and ecosystem-based management of Gyaros.
- April
1st meeting of the ‘Gyaros Co-management Committee’ with the aim of jointly formulating and deciding on measures for the protection and management of the Gyaros ecosystem – the Rules of Procedure and the action plan are agreed – a shared vision for the protection of Gyaros is formulated.
- July
2nd meeting of the ‘Gyaros Co-management Committee’ – the results of the research surveys carried out in Gyaros are presented.
- November
3rd meeting of the ‘Gyaros Co-management Committee’ – the institutional and legal framework is presented and proposals for the protection and promotion of Gyaros are developed.
- A specialized study is carried out for the installation of eco-moorings, that are friendly to Posidonia seagrass meadows.
- Consultation with stakeholders regarding maritime spatial planning and ecosystem-based management.
- April
- Working meeting of the Technical Group on Fisheries to discuss fisheries management measures in the MPA.
- 4th meeting of the ‘Gyaros Co-management Committee’ – finalisation of proposals for the protection and promotion of Gyaros – drafting of proposals for the governance of the MPA.
- June
Installation of 1,000 clay pots to support the reproduction of the octopus population in the Gyaros marine area.
- July
5th meeting of the ‘Gyaros Co-management Committee’ – finalisation of proposals for the governance of the MPA.
Establishment of underwater trails zones with special information signs for the development of diving tourism.
Launch of the project «Gyaros MPA fisheries knowledge survey: assessing a pristine Mediterranean biodiversity hotspot», by HCMR in collaboration with WWF Greece, funded by the MAVA Foundation.
Launch of the project ‘Securing Gyaros MPA sustainability through a pioneering remote surveillance system’ – continuation of remote surveillance and patrols in the Gyaros MPA by the WWF Greece field team.
- February
The Cyclades Protected Areas Management Authority (CPAMA) is established by the Greek State, with its provisional headquarters in Syros (Government Gazette 25 A).
- March
6th meeting of the ‘Gyaros Co-management Committee’ – finalisation of proposals for the protection and governance of the Gyaros MPA and agreement on their integration in the Special Environmental Study – Planning for the future.
Completion and submission to the Ministry of Environment and Energy of the Special Environmental Study for the designation of the protected area.
- August
Signing of a Memorandum of Collaboration between the Ministry of Environment and Energy, the Ministry of Maritime and Island Policy, and WWF Greece for the implementation of an integrated remote surveillance system in Gyaros.
Decision by WWF Greece’s Board of Directors to make a donation to the Hellenic Coastguard for the three-year maintenance of the Syros Port Authority’s patrol vessel.
- January
Training of the Syros Coastguard officers and the Cyclades Protected Areas Management Authority on the operation and management of the Gyaros Remote Surveillance System.
Formation of the Board of Directors of the Cyclades Protected Areas Management Authority – several of its members come from the Gyaros Co-management Committee (Government Gazette 13 YODD).
- February
Installation of the Command Centre for the Gyaros Remote Surveillance System at the Syros Port Police Authority.
- June
Acceptance by the Hellenic Coastguard of WWF Greece’s donation for the three-year maintenance of the Syros Port Police Authority’s patrol vessel.
- July
Gyaros is designated as a Marine Protected Area and terrestrial and marine protection zones are established | Decision of the Ministry of the Environment (Government Gazette D’ 389/2019)
- Launch of the project ‘Empowering the legacy of the MAVA Mediterranean Partnership: Scaling up co-managed and financially sustainable No-Take Zones/Marine Protected Areas’, by the Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (HCMR) in collaboration with WWF Greece, with funding from the MAVA Foundation.
- May
Establishment of the Natural Environment & Climate Change Agency (N.E.C.C.A.) and incorporation of the Cyclades Protected Areas Management Body into it. Initiation of operations of the Central Aegean Protected Areas Management Unit (C.A.P.A.M.U), based in Ermoupoli with a branch office in Naxos.
- Σεπτέμβριος
Launch of the LIFE PanPuffinus project ‘Improving the conservation status of endemic shearwater species in the Mediterranean and the Balearic Islands, ensuring safe habitats on land and at sea’. Seven organisations from five countries (Greece, Malta, Spain, France and Portugal) are participating in the project. The Hellenic Ornithological Society is participating on behalf of Greece, and the Gyaros MPA is one of the intervention sites.
- March
Launch of the project ‘Ensuring the sustainability of the Gyaros Marine Protected Area through surveillance, policy and awareness-raising actions’ – continuation of remote surveillance and patrols in the Gyaros Marine Protected Area by the WWF Greece Field Team.
- July
Extension of the legal status of Gyaros MPA for two years (Government Gazette D’ 421/2021).
- Inspection and clearance of unexploded ordnance along specific routes in the Gyaros MPA by the Greek Army’s Landmine Clearance Battalion (TENX).
- May
Amendment of the fishing regulations – extension of the legal framework of the Gyaros MPA for one year (Government Gazette D’ 321/2022).
- September
New amendment of fishing regulations– complete ban on all forms of fishing – extension of the institutional status of the Gyaros MPA for one year (Government Gazette D’ 586/2022).
- November
Public consultation on the project ‘Preparation of Special Environmental Studies, Drafting of Presidential Decrees on Protection and Management Plans for the Natura 2000 Network Sites’, EPM 8a: Natura 2000 sites in the South Aegean Region.
- January
Signing of a Memorandum of Collaboration between the Ministry of Environment and Energy, the Ministry of Maritime and Island Policy/Hellenic Coastguard, the Natural Environment & Climate Change Agency (N.E.C.C.A.) and WWF Greece for the effective guarding of the Gyaros Marine Protected Area.
- July
Launch of a 30-month fish fauna monitoring project by HCMR, funded by WWF Greece.
- September
Study on the ‘Assessment of the feral pig population on the island of Gyaros and recommendations for their management’, by the University of Thessaly – Laboratory of Ecosystem and Biodiversity Management | Contracting authority: N.E.C.C.A.
Completion of training of the staff of the Central Aegean Protected Areas Management Unit (C.A.P.A.M.U) of N.E.C.C.A. on the operation of the remote surveillance system of the Gyaros MPA.
- October
Completion of patrolling the Gyaros MPA by the WWF Greece Field Team.
- December
Drafting of a Guarding Plan for the Gyaros MPA by the Central Aegean Protected Areas Management Unit (C.A.P.A.M.U) of N.E.C.C.A.
- Completion of the project entitled «Integrated Environmental Interpretation System», for the design, organisation, production and installation of an on-site environmental interpretation system in Gyaros MPA.
- February
Transfer of the Gyaros MPA remote surveillance system equipment from the Syros Port Police Authority to the Central Aegean Protected Areas Management Unit (C.A.P.A.M.U) of N.E.C.C.A.
- March
Launch of the project ‘Mainstreaming best practices and lessons learnt from the Gyaros MPA work within the national MPA system of Greece’ by WWF Greece.
- April
Handover of the Gyaros MPA remote surveillance system from WWF Greece to the Central Aegean Protected Areas Management Unit (C.A.P.A.M.U) of N.E.C.C.A.
- May
Signing of a Programme Agreement for the project ‘Developing a model of low-impact tourism in the Gyaros Marine Protected Area’ between NECCA, the Municipality of Syros–Ermoupoli and WWF Greece.
- July
Extension of the institutional status of the Gyaros MPA for one year (Government Gazette D 449/2024).
- December
Completion of an impact assessment study on the existence and operation of the Gyaros Marine Protected Area by WWF Greece.
- April
WWF Greece provides NECCA with 15 specially constructed ecological moorings for installation at the Gyaros MPA to protect the Posidonia meadows.
Launch of an 18-month avifauna monitoring project by the Hellenic Ornithological Society, funded by WWF Greece.
- April
Signing of the Presidential Decree (PD), which officially establishes permanent protection zones as well as specific management measures.