Good practice:

Labeling on Quality and Cooperation with East Macedonia-Thrace National Park (EPAMATH)

Lagoon fishermen that are located in EPAMATH are obligated to follow special law enforcements during fishing, in order to conserve the Protected Area (habitats and species). The fishing methods followed are of extensive aquaculture, which is not allowed to use any type of feedings or medicines, but the fish are exclusively fed by the system. Moreover, fishing in lagoons is seasonal since it follows the life cycle of the commercial species, protecting at the same time protected species.
Unfortunately, even though the product (fish and crabs) can be characterised as high quality, since it is a wild fish free of feedings and medicine, it is not widely recognised by the consumers. In addition, even less consumers are aware of the protection that this fishing method offers to such important and fragile ecosystems.
Delta Nestos, Lakes Vistonida-Ismarida and Thassos Island Management Body wishing to promote the fish caught in EPAMATH lagoons created the project “Labelling on Quality and Cooperation with East Macedonia-Thrace National Park (EPAMATH)”. This project underlines the locality of products and works as a sign for the production method, which is characterised by respect to the principals of environmental conservation.
Stakeholders: Delta Nestos, Lakes Vistonida-Ismarida and Thassos Island Management Body
Beneficiaries: Lagoons fishermen, Agricultural cooperations, Packing stations etc.

Minor amounts yearly for retaining the label and the human resources by the Management Body to check the application of the regulations.

The practice is selected because it: has positive environmental impact; is a direct policy measure (policy making process); increases the family income of lagoons fishermen (economy and social impact); is creating a trademark for lagoons’ products; and is easily transferable.

The lack of regulation that qualifies fish as organic product;
The lack of packaging on lagoons products to promote the label.

Lagoon is recognized as a priority habitat (*1150) and is protected according to EU legislation. In many EU countries, lagoons are used as aquaculture fields for fish, bivalves, crabs etc. The labelled products are recognized in the market as products that are produced in a National Park following more strict regulations on environmental protection and therefore are of better quality
In general, fish are not designated as organic products, so aquaculture fish do not differentiate to wild fish. Following this labelling lagoon fishermen of protected areas are able to prove the quality of the product, as well as the respect of their fishing method on the environmental conservation.
The transferability refers to the practice itself and also to the process (creating a label on fish products on protected areas).