Development of a DSS for Thassos Island
419
of extreme importance for both Thassos economy and national economy. The
oil deposits are considered to be satisfactory for the continuation of this
activity for the next few decades while there are certain plains for future
expansion. This activity includes risks for both the coastal and marine
environment. There is an immediate probability of leakage of oil or hydrogen
sulfide. Environmental impacts are possible at all stages of oil exploitation.
The method of exploitation is from steel or concrete production platforms.
The impacts of these structures stem partly from operational releases and
partly from accidents. In addition to these environmental effects, oil
exploitation has other impacts. The presence of rigs and pipelines creates
exclusion zones for fishing vessels and other shipping, while the debris
associated with offshore oil operations can damage fishing gear or entangle
ships' propellers. A further problem, only now emerging, is the question of
decommissioning and disposal of oil installations. Finally it must be mentioned
that this activity counteracts other activities such as tourism and recreation
Agriculture. There are 8063.4 ha of agricultural land in Thassos with an
average lot of 2.1 ha. The main agricultural product is olive oil. The area that
is covered by olive trees represents 91.4% of all cultivated areas while the
total production of oil and salted olives is 60000 tons and 20000 tons. There
are 20 oil-presses scattered across the island. The disposal of the remains of
that process into streams is responsible for the pollution of groundwater
deposits and affects nearshore marine ecosystems through runoff. It should be
mentioned that there is no evidence of the overutilization of soil or excessive
use of fertilizers and pesticides
Stock breeding. Although stock-breeding is an economic activity that supports
the internal market to a great extent, it represents only 3% of the total gross
income of the island and is last to the economic valuation. There are a total of
49,000 breeding animals scattered across the island in various nomadic
formations. The main impact of this activity is over-grazing. This could be
prove rather harmful to the terrestrial environment due to the desertification
of the landscape and the loss of soil, especially in areas with steep slopes. This
activity shows a strong competition on the use of land with both agriculture
and forestry. A traditional economic activity, which was very profitable in
past decades, was that of bee breeding. There are a lot of apiaries scattered
over the island, but after a large fire (in the Summer of 1985) that burnt a
significant proportion of forest areas, this activity declined
Fishery. Fishing boats of various sizes form a relative large fleet that supports
not only the market of the island but also a part of national needs for fish.
Fishing is an activity that is tied to coastal locations. Although nearshore
fishing is an activity that has significant impacts on coastal marine resource
mainly due to overfishing or following certain practices, in most cases illegal;
419
of extreme importance for both Thassos economy and national economy. The
oil deposits are considered to be satisfactory for the continuation of this
activity for the next few decades while there are certain plains for future
expansion. This activity includes risks for both the coastal and marine
environment. There is an immediate probability of leakage of oil or hydrogen
sulfide. Environmental impacts are possible at all stages of oil exploitation.
The method of exploitation is from steel or concrete production platforms.
The impacts of these structures stem partly from operational releases and
partly from accidents. In addition to these environmental effects, oil
exploitation has other impacts. The presence of rigs and pipelines creates
exclusion zones for fishing vessels and other shipping, while the debris
associated with offshore oil operations can damage fishing gear or entangle
ships' propellers. A further problem, only now emerging, is the question of
decommissioning and disposal of oil installations. Finally it must be mentioned
that this activity counteracts other activities such as tourism and recreation
Agriculture. There are 8063.4 ha of agricultural land in Thassos with an
average lot of 2.1 ha. The main agricultural product is olive oil. The area that
is covered by olive trees represents 91.4% of all cultivated areas while the
total production of oil and salted olives is 60000 tons and 20000 tons. There
are 20 oil-presses scattered across the island. The disposal of the remains of
that process into streams is responsible for the pollution of groundwater
deposits and affects nearshore marine ecosystems through runoff. It should be
mentioned that there is no evidence of the overutilization of soil or excessive
use of fertilizers and pesticides
Stock breeding. Although stock-breeding is an economic activity that supports
the internal market to a great extent, it represents only 3% of the total gross
income of the island and is last to the economic valuation. There are a total of
49,000 breeding animals scattered across the island in various nomadic
formations. The main impact of this activity is over-grazing. This could be
prove rather harmful to the terrestrial environment due to the desertification
of the landscape and the loss of soil, especially in areas with steep slopes. This
activity shows a strong competition on the use of land with both agriculture
and forestry. A traditional economic activity, which was very profitable in
past decades, was that of bee breeding. There are a lot of apiaries scattered
over the island, but after a large fire (in the Summer of 1985) that burnt a
significant proportion of forest areas, this activity declined
Fishery. Fishing boats of various sizes form a relative large fleet that supports
not only the market of the island but also a part of national needs for fish.
Fishing is an activity that is tied to coastal locations. Although nearshore
fishing is an activity that has significant impacts on coastal marine resource
mainly due to overfishing or following certain practices, in most cases illegal;