Developing siting and carrying capacity guidelines for Mediterranean aquaculture within aquaculture appropriate areas is operative since October 2008.

The project is funded with the contribution of European Commission (EC) DG Mare.

The SHoCMed Project, among other, aims in producing criteria for enhancing the integration of aquaculture in ICZM by improving site selection and holding capacity benchmarks and reference points. This will also provide a base for harmonisation of standards and as appropriate aquaculture policy and legal frameworks, across the Mediterranean ensuring equal term of competition and minimal environmental damage.




SHoCMed Project on Developing site selection and carrying capacity for the Mediterranean aquaculture within aquaculture appropriate areas was designed and developed within the Working Group on Siting and Carrying Capacity (WGSC).

SHoCMed Project aims at defining criteria for enhancing the integration of aquaculture in coastal areas by improving site selection and holding capacity benchmarks and reference points. This will also provide a base for harmonisation of standards, appropriate aquaculture policy and legal frameworks for aquaculture sustainable development across the Mediterranean region, ensuring equal terms of competition and minimal environmental impact.

The activities of the first year of SHoCMed were concentrated on defining criteria and identifying priorities to improve the knowledge and reviewing extensively the scientific knowledge available on site selection and carrying capacity of aquaculture, for the development of sustainable marine aquaculture within the Mediterranean context and within an ecosystem perspective along coastal areas. Particular attention was paid to the analysis and better understanding of the existing legal framework on site selection procedures in Mediterranean countries.

The methodology also permitted to identify knowledge gaps and priorities issues to be addressed for the 2nd year of SHoCMed, towards the definition of a methodology for exploring the possibility to use the Allocated Zones for Aquaculture as a means for improving sustainable marine aquaculture in the Mediterranean.

A meeting of the WGSC was convened at University of Biology of Crete (Greece, October 2008). and focused its discussions on: the parameters for monitoring aquaculture activities; salient aquaculture impacts on the environment; gaps concerning the legal framework for site selection and the implementation of the workplan of ShoCMed.

A Workshop on National legislation on Siting, Monitoring programmes and EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment) regulatory framework for finfish marine aquaculture (SHoCMed) was held in July 2009 (Vigo) with the cooperation of CETMAR. The aim of this workshop was to present and discuss on the main key issues on the licensing procedures in the Mediterranean countries and focused also on the environmental aspects related to site selection, to environmental impact and monitoring activities.

Furthermore and in addition to the above, for the implementation of SHoCMed, the WGSC has envisaged a series of activities focused on reviewing the main issues related to the interaction between aquaculture and environment and related to the interaction of aquaculture with the other uses in the context of integrated coastal zone management.