1.7 General considerations

Currently, there are no specific management plans for lagoon areas in Albania. However, there is growing awareneness among the main actors (e.g. Fisheries directorate, research institutes, Ministry of Environment, fisheries associations) about the need to implement specific strategic planning for each Albanian coastal lagoon, addressing among others the following issues:

• Major controls and stakeholders involvement to fight against overfishing and overhunting;
• Monitoring and interventions to reduce the effect of coastal erosion;
• Reduction of waste water;
• Grazing limitations to protect marshland and wetland habitats;
• Awareness raising of local populations, fishers, hunters and farmers to protect the environment;
• Regulation of fishing effort;
• Avoid the intensification of fishing and/or aquaculture activities.
Strategic planning could be take place by integrating specific measures towards lagoon management in the existing legislation, establishing an ad hoc lagoon management body, involving local administrations, organizations, associations and relevant stakeholders. Moreover, the new aquaculture legislation, currently under preparation, should consider only extensive aquaculture as a possible activity in lagoons in order to preserve biodiversity and ecosystems.

In particular, the newly established lagoon management body should have the following responsibilities:
• Preserve the diversity of natural habitats and landscapes keeping under control hydrological conditions;
• Ensure the management of lagoons (administration, rangers’ service, surveillance); • Develop research activities aiming at the conservation of species, identifying biological, physical and socioeconomic indicators, monitoring water quality including hydrographic networks, monitoring fisheries, aquaculture and hunting activities;
• Maintain the necessary conditions for species of patrimonial interests (rare, threatened and noteworthy);
• Promote Albanian wetlands at the national and international level as important sites for the conservation of habitats and species;
• Promote the sustainable use of natural resources keeping under control fishing, hunting, grazing, tourism, infrastructure and pollution;
• Include lagoons and wetlands area preservation in the socioeconomic context of the local economy, promoting eco-tourism activities, etc.

1.8 References
Cataudella, S. & Carrada, G. 2000. Un mare di risorse: introduzione alla conservazione ed alla gestione delle risorse ittiche. Rome, Italy, Consorzio Uniprom (pp. 150–153).
Cullaj, A., Hasko, A., Mihaj, A., Schanz, F., Brandle, H. & Bachofen, R. 2005. The quality of Albanian natural waters and the human impact. Environment International, 31: 133–146.
Dida Maxhun. 2004. Natural Protected Areas and National Parks of Albania Tirane, Directorate General of Forests and Pastures (pp. 9-34)
ECAT Tirana. 2004. “The inventory of Albanian Wetlands” Lionta, EKB-Chrysouna (pp. 32-38).
Pano N.iko. 2008. “Pasurite Ujore te Shqiperise” Tirane, Akademia e Shkencave te Shqiperise (pp.266, 272, 320-344).
Phare Programme (2002) “Lagoon Management in Albania” Tirane, Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Water Administration (pp. 3, 4, 8-22).