Increased tourist traffic spurs urgent measures against marine pollution
The rise in the number of tourists coming into Albania and tourist vessels operating in Albanian waters, has made it urgent to implement measures to prevent marine pollution. A monitoring and cleanup operation has been launched by the Armed Forces and local authorities along the entire coastline to identify violators and remove plastic waste from the sea.
Why is this significant
Recently, it has been observed that licensed vessels operating for daily tourist transport are not only disposing of food and plastic waste into the sea but also oil and fuel residues. In response, the government began monitoring the entire coastline last week using drones from the Ministry of Defence. Additionally, cameras will soon be installed at key points to identify offenders.
Context
The tourism boom has made a maritime management reform essential. As a country with limited experience in the tourism sector, Albania needs to take emergency measures to prevent marine pollution due to the influx of tourists. To develop this reform, Albania requires the expertise of two giants of the Mediterranean tourism industry, Greece and Italy.