ABSTRACT
In early 2008 a massive mortality event of Mediterranean farmed fish (sea bass and sea bream) occurred at three grow-out cage farms in northeast Amvrakikos Gulf in Central Western Greece. Amvrakikos Gulf is a semi-enclosed natural (EU Network Natura 2000) embayment in the Ionian Sea, with a fjord-like oceanographic profile. Several fish kills occurred in the past due to upwelling of anoxic water. The short-term phenomenon (just an overnight event of a few hours), which was a tremendous disaster (950 tons of dead fish), is analyzed in terms of its practical management applications. The technical problems of removing “a mountain of dead fish” are demonstrated in relation to the practical sanitary aspects of this operation. The role of communication in the governance of this crisis, which lasted about a month, and the relevant socioeconomic effects are also discussed.
