Yeroskipou marine-protected are not being monitored

The marine-protected area of Yeroskipou-Moulia is not being adequately supervised, the Paphos tourism development organisation (Etap) said on Tuesday.

In a written statement, chairman Kyriacos Drousiotis said that “despite the honourable efforts of the government agencies involved in the supervision of marine protected areas, the results are disappointing”.

Illegal fishing continues unhindered, while speedboats continue to pass through the main areas, with safety issues for passing boars, swimmers and divers increasing every year, he added.

The Yeroskipou-Moulia area was declared protected in 2016 with the help of the fisheries department, the statement said, but “it seems that we are still seriously suffering in the general management, protection and supervision of the specific area”.

Drousiotis recommended that the state adopt the good practices seen in other European countries and find ways to supervise the areas through technology, like marine cameras, drones, and coastal surveillance radars.

“We expect the state to take immediate action and solve the problem of insufficient surveillance before we are faced with serious accidents that may cause loss of human life,” he said.