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Bathing
Water Quality
According
to the Ministry for the
Environment, GDR 3 billion have been allocated to coastal
protection and restoration programmes over the past three
years. Approximately one third of this funding went to coastal
clean ups. Some 5,000 tons of decomposed algae and marine
plants, and 2,000 tons of litter are removed annually from
the coastline.
The National
Centre for Marine Research and the Ministry of Environment
carry out annual tests of the quality of bathing water in
Greece. More than 20,000 samples ae taken from over 1,000
coasts. To find out more on specific beaches, visit this
link .
| 98.7% of coastal waters and coasts in Greece satisfy all European Union quality standards (directive 160/76 EEC). |
Legislation
Greece
is a signatory party to all major international agreements
on the protection of the marine environment in the Mediterranean.
National legislation has been adjusted accordingly. Greece
also participates in the European
Union's Community Action Programme against accidental
sea pollution.
Apart
from the state, non-governmental organisations, such as the Hellenic
Marine Environment Protection Association and the World
Wildlife Fund help in the preservation and clean-up
programmes in collaboration with volunteers, schools and municipalities.
Future perspectives
The National
Centre for Marine Research recently launched a new sea-monitoring
system, named Poseidon.
It consists of a network of floating monitoring stations,
advanced telecommunications systems and an operational centre.
Apart from monitoring the most important physical, chemical
and biological properties of the Greek marine environment,
the system will effectively contribute to forecasting and
management of the marine environment.
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