MANAGEMENT PLAN OF “PORTO PALERMO-LLAMANI BAY” PROTECTED AREA IN ALBANIA The designations employed and the presentation of the material in this document do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of UNEP/MAP-RAC/SPA concerning the legal status of any State, Territory, city or area, or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of their frontiers or boundaries. The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect those of UNEP/MAP-RAC/SPA. Published by: RAC/SPA Copyright: © 2015 - RAC/SPA Reproduction of this publication for educational or other non-commercial purposes is authorized without prior written permission from the copyright holder provided the source is fully acknowledged. Reproduction of this publication for resale or other commercial purposes is prohibited without prior written permission of the copyright holder. For bibliographic purposes, this volume may be cited as: RAC/SPA - UNEP-MAP, 2015. Management Plan of “Porto-Palermo-Llamani Bay” Protected Area in Albania. By Zamir DEDEJ, Genti KROMIDHA and Nihat DRAGOTI. Ed. RAC/SPA - MedMPAnet Project, Tunis: 84 p + annexes. Layout: Zine El Abidine MAHJOUB and Asma KHERIJI. Cover photo credit: Audimage. Photos credits : INCA and Audimage. This document has been elaborated within the framework of the Regional Project for the Development of a Mediterranean Marine and Coastal Protected Areas (MPAs) Network through the boosting of Mediterranean MPAs Creation and Management (MedMPAnet Project). The MedMPAnet Project is implemented in the framework of the UNEP/MAP-GEF MedPartnership, with the financial support of EC, AECID and FFEM. Management Plan of “PORTO PALERMO- LLAMANI BAY” Protected Area in Albania Regional Project for the Development of a Mediterranean Marine and Coastal Protected Areas (MPAs) Network through the boosting of MPA creation and management MANAGEMENT PLAN OF “PORTO PALERMO-LLAMANI BAY” ProteCTED AREA 2 IN ALBANIA Nihat DRAGOTI, Protected Areas Expert atINCA(Albania) Areas Protected DRAGOTI, Nihat ofINCA(Albania) managementexpert/President Areas Protected KROMIDHA, Genti (Albania) Areas AgencyofProtected atNational Director biologist,General Marine DEDEJ,Senior Zamir MoU Nº04/MedMPAnet/2013 MoU ofthestudy: Reference responsible ofthe Scientific study: RAC/SPA Project, LIMAM,MedMPAnet Atef RAC/SPA Project, ELASMI,MedMPAnet Souha In charge ofthestudy: Cedex - Tunisia 1080 Tunis 337 B.P. Arafat Yasser duLeader Boulevard (RAC/SPA) Areas Protected forSpecially Centre Activity Regional by: andfinanced Study required ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The nstituteI for Natural Conservation in Albania On local level, we would like to thank the 3 (INCA) expresses its acknowledgement to the authorities, District Council of Vlora, Himara Municipality, personnel individuals and experts from all institutions, groups of of the Forest Service Directorate of Vlora and other local S interest, NGOs, civil society and other related stakeholders institutions. who contributed to the collection of data, information and EMENT support provided for drafting the Management Plan on We express our gratitude for the civil society, DG LE marine-coastal area of the Bay of Porto Palermo-Llamani. environmental associations, especially “Adriatic”, being part W of the Network for Nature Conservation and all groups of NO Special thanks go to the Ministry of Environment, interest of that protected area for the contribution provided Director General of Environmental Policies and in the final deliberation of the management plan. We also ACK Implementation of Priorities and relevant staff of the thank Prof. Lefter Kashta, Prof. Dr. Sajmir Beqiraj, Arjan Directorate of Biodiversity and Protected Areas. Gaçe, Xhemal Mato for the “Ecological Study of the Bay of Porto Palermo and surrounding areas” and we simultaneously We extend our gratitude to the representatives of thank Thanas Goga and Franka Paloka for the “Socio- RAC/SPA - UNEP/MAP, who back up the development economic analysis and study on tourism development”. of “Pilot Project in Albania” within the framework of Regional Project for the Development of Marine and Coastal Further, we thank Msc. Valbona SIMIXHI for the Protected Mediterranean Areas Network (MPAs) through the production of maps included in this management plan. support to the Creation and Management of MPAs in the Mediterranean Region (MedMPAnet Project). We also thank UNDP for their contribution in the latest part of the study. ABBREViationS & ACRONYMS BC Biodiversity Convention BSAP Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan CITES Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna DBPA Directorate of Biodiversity and Protected Areas 4 DCM Decision of Council of Ministers DFSD District Forest Service Directorate S DFSS District Forest Service Section ECS Environmental Cross-cutting Strategy RONYM EN Ecological Network EU European Union S & AC FSD Forest Service Directorate GLP General Local Plan iation V GNP General National Plan BBRE ICPA International Convention for Protected Areas A IMCPACME Improvement of MCPA Coverage and Management Effectiveness IMOC Inter-institutional Maritime Operational Center INCA Institute for Nature Conservation in Albania IUCN International Union for Conservation of Nature LSPAMI List of Specially Protected Areas of Mediterranean Importance MARDWA Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Water Administration MCPA Marine and Coastal Protected Area MedMPAnet Mediterranean Marine Protected Areas Network MME Monitoring of Management Effectiveness MoC Ministry of Culture MoD Ministry of Defense MoE Ministry of Environment MP Management Plan MTI Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure MUDT Ministry of Urban Development and Tourism NCA National Coastal Agency NGO Non-Governmental Organization NP Nature Park NTC National Territory Council NTPA National Territorial Planning Agency NUCI National Urban Construction Inspectorate PA Protected Area PAA Protected Area Administration PAMC Protected Area Management Committee RAC/SPA Regional Activity Centre for Specially Protected Areas REA Regional Environmental Agency SAC Special Area of Conservation SIEF State Inspectorate of Environment and Foresty and Waters SPMCPA Strategic Plan for Marine and Coastal Protected Areas UNDP United Nations Development Programme TABLE OF CONTENTS SUMMARY ................................................................................................................................................................. 9 1. Overview and description of Marine and Coastal Protected Areas (MCPA) .................................................................. 9 2. Values ........................................................................................................................................................................... 12 3. Major threats ................................................................................................................................................................ 12 4. Vision and goals for the Marine and Coastal Protected Area (MCPA) .......................................................................... 13 5. Area division and management ..................................................................................................................................... 13 6. Monitoring and assessment of management ................................................................................................................. 14 INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................................................... 17 1. Description of the elaboration of Management Plan (MP) ........................................................................................... 17 5 18 2. Description of the management plan framework .......................................................................................................... S 3. Who the plan refers to ? ............................................................................................................................................... 19 4. Plan objective ............................................................................................................................................................... 19 5. Plan time schedule ....................................................................................................................................................... 20 CONTENT F O I. DESCRIPTION OF MARINE AND COASTAL PROTECTED AREA (MCPA) ..................................................... 23 1.1. MCPA selection criteria ............................................................................................................................................ 23 ABLE T 1.2. Location .................................................................................................................................................................... 24 1.3. Legal status of Protected Areas ................................................................................................................................... 26 1.4. Policy and legal framework ........................................................................................................................................ 28 1.5. Institutional structuring ............................................................................................................................................ 30 1.6. Description of Protected Areas natural system