International Waters learning Exchange & Resource Network

Integrated Ecosystem Management in the Prespa Lakes Basin of Albania, FYR-Macedonia and Greece - Results

GEF IDS: 1537

Ecosystem
Lake

Scale
Regional

Information sources
GEF3 IW Tracking Tool (2010), IWC6 Results Note (2011)

Key Basin Project Results
•The first Prespa Lake Watershed Management Plan had contributed to better a understanding of the watershed’s ecological status and quantifying the anthropogenic influence, leading to an integrated water and land-use management basis for maintaining and restoring ecosystem health of the entire watershed.
•Strengthening local capacities for introducing good agricultural practices in apple production has resulted in reduced fertilizer and pesticide use, hence generating both ecosystem and economic benefits
•The signing of the international agreement on Prespa by the three riparian states, and the European Commission, formalizes the transboundary watershed management institutions, and secures long-term financing for maintaining the cooperation mechanisms across the boundaries

Results data
Agriculture pollution reduction practices
Year: N/A - Value: 30%/yr
INDICATOR#1 Reduction in frequency and quantity of pesticides and fertilizers applied each season by increasing the number of farmers applying good agricultural practices in apple production [Targets: Establishment of a protocol and system for the recording-monitoring of quantities of agrochemicals, and
delivery capacity building programs for farmers results in 30% reduction in quantities of pesticides and fertilizers]
The long-term efforts to build local capacities to monitor and control the use of agrochemicals (including establishing agrochemical laboratory and agro-meteorological pest monitoring system) are constantly increasing the number of farmers applying sustainable farming techniques, increasing the capacity of local advisory services to farmers, resulting in reduction of pesticides and fertilizers use, as well as production costs, for approximately 30-40%% on annual level.
Establishment of country-specific inter-ministerial committees
Year: N/A - Value: NO
-
Regional legal agreements and cooperation frameworks
Year: N/A - Value: YES
Body: Prespa Part Management Committee
GEF Project:
INDICATOR#1 The transboundary cooperation mechanism (Prespa Part Management Committee and associated working groups/bodies) is formalized under International Law [Target: PPMC is legal entity as agreed to under trilateral agreement, SAP for the Prespa basin is agreed and funding is secured]
The signing of the International Agreement sets a legal basis for integrated management of the basin, including development and financing of integrated transboundary management plans, according to international and EU standards, and for implementing the SAP developed by the project. The SAP is supported by Local Environmental Action Programs to implement best practices on watershed management.

INDICATOR#2 The three states have agreed on trans-boundary fish conservation priorities that reflect ecological management objectives for sustainable use and conservation of native species and aquatic ecosystem health and agree upon specific program of measures for cooperative fish management
[Target: The riparian states cooperate on enforcement; monitoring; and research in fish & fisheries management]
The first transboundary fish and fisheries management planning process has revealed valuable information regarding the population and health status of the fish species, along with quantification of the sources of pressure; it will provide basis for harmonization of the transboundary conservation and sustainable management efforts
Regional Management Institutions
Year: N/A - Value: YES
Prespa Park Management Committee
Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis: Agreement on transboundary priorities and root causes
Year: N/A - Value: NO
-
Development of Strategic Action Program (SAP)
Year: N/A - Value: NO
-