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Return to Amorgos: A milestone for AMORGORAMA
Published 04 八月 2025
18 August 2025: Presidential Decree No. 73 was officially passed, establishing Fisheries Restricted Areas in Amorgos as part of the AMORGORAMA initiative, banning fishing year-round in certain zones and during peak spawning seasons (April 1–May 31) near the island.
Refresh your memory of our conservation efforts and our first visit to Amorgos here
In June, the island of Amorgos became the stage for a major conservation milestone – and Burgess was proud to be there for the celebration. As the AMORGORAMA project reached a turning point in its mission to protect and regenerate local marine life, our team was on the ground once again, standing alongside the scientists, fishers, and community leaders who’ve driven this extraordinary effort forward.
Nikolas, who first visited the island last November, returned with Anastazja from our Dubai office, a key member of our ESG and sustainability team, to witness firsthand the progress – and to be part of a weekend that was as hopeful as it was historic.
Day 1
Ana and Nik arrived to Amorgos in the afternoon, heading straight to a lunch with the key figures involved in AMORGORAMA: Angela Lazou Dean (Blue Marine Foundation, Greece Projects Manager), Michalis Krossman (President of the Amorgos Fishermen’s Association), Dr Stefanos Kalogirou (Agricultural University of Athens), Anni Mitropoulou and Vaggelis Paravas from the Cyclades Preservation Fund (CPF), journalists and other media representatives, and the General Director of the Fishing & Agriculture Ministry, Dr Alkistis Parpoura.
That evening, they attended the first formal event of the weekend – opening speeches and presentations from Angela, Michalis, Dr Stefanos, Dr Alkistis, and the CPF team. Together, they shared updates on AMORGORAMA’s progress and outlined its next chapter, covering:
- The project’s successes to date, including mapping seagrass meadows and monitoring fish populations
- The use of this scientific data to support and establish the three designated ‘no-take zones’ around the island
- The continuous beach and sea cleaning efforts of the community to tackle plastic pollution
- The projected timeline and measures in place to monitor and manage the project going forward, including addressing concerns over patrolling and enforcement of the guidelines
The floor was then opened to questions from the local community, underlining the project’s deeply collaborative spirit.
But the highlight of the evening? The confirmation that the Presidential Decree is now one step from being formally published (it was officially passed on 18 August). This means that the three no-take zones at Katapola, Nikouria, and Gramvousa will soon be legally protected, and that for the months of April and May, there will be no fishing within a 1.5nm perimeter around the island.
No-take zones, also known as Fisheries Restricted Areas (FRAs), are a crucial and effective element of marine protection, and play a key role in supporting global efforts to increase marine protected areas (MPAs).
This is a huge milestone for the project, and testament to the hard work, perseverance, and truly collaborative efforts of everyone involved from the start.
Day 2
The following day, Ana and Nik joined the wider group to visit each protected site, and refresh their understanding of the years of planning, research, and hard work that has led to the areas becoming officially protected.
Later, the fishing port of Katapola hosted the annual Fishers’ Festival, celebrating the community and its home-grown success with AMORGORAMA. It was an exceptionally authentic Greek experience – locally-caught and cooked fish, live music and, of course, dancing!
Burgess was proud and grateful to take part in such a meaningful and celebratory weekend – visiting the no-take zones, meeting the people behind AMORGORAMA, and witnessing firsthand this ground-breaking, community-led initiative in action.
With international attention on ocean conservation and the importance of MPAs growing – through the recent UN Ocean Conference in Nice and powerful storytelling like Ocean with David Attenborough – AMORGORAMA stands out as more than just a timely success story. It’s a working blueprint for marine regeneration that could, and should, be replicated around the world.
Above all, it’s a powerful reminder that when individuals and communities come together with purpose, lasting positive change is not only possible – it’s already happening.
Protecting our oceans means protecting our future.
To learn more about AMORGORAMA and the Burgess Conservation Project – or to find out how you can support – speak to your Burgess contact today.
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