Local community
The mussel farm site is situated in the municipality of Delta, an
area with a relative low population (40,000 habitants) distributed
in the three municipal units (Axios, Chalastra and Echedoros). The
main activities are agriculture (rice fields), the plain area
produces more than 70% of the entire national rice crop production,
a major source of income for the local population. Of secondary
importance is the activity of grazing, which appears sporadically
and is not well organised.
The shallow waters of the Delta
and the adjacent coastal area provide shelter to the juveniles of
most of the fish and other commercial species as shrimps, in
Thermaikos Gulf. Thus, the site has tremendous importance for
maintaining the fishing grounds of the North Aegean Sea. Mussel
farming in the Delta accounts for 90 % of the country's total mussel
harvest production and is one of the most important - and profitable
- activities practised by the local population. Also the drinking
water supply for the nearby city of Thessaloniki comes mainly from
the catchment area of Aliakmonas River.
The site is not far
from important archaeological sites, of which the most visited is
the tombs of Vergina, capital of the ancient Macedonian Kingdom.The social value of the site as a protected area is increasing
and has led to the development of a value for eco-tourism,
environmental education and bird watching, although relevant
facilities are low.
Moreover the area is of great scientific value
in the fields of biology, ecology, hydrology and geology.
There is no lodging provided in the protected area. Visitors can
stay in hotels of the nearby cities (Thessaloniki, Sindos, Veria,
Katerini) or in by–the-sea hotels, rent rooms and camping of the
Prefecture of Pieria (Methoni, Makrigialos, Korinos, Paralia
Katerinis).