Security
Keeping out
the poachers
Securing a fish farm 20 kms out to sea for the Mediterranean’s leading aquaculture company involves a fully integrated security operation
O
n the western coast of Greece lie the clear blue waters of the gulf of Astakos and the bustling coastal town of the same name. It has been a shipping and fishing port since ancient times and legend has it the Cyclops’ cave was situated near Astakos, where Odysseus supposedly blinded the monster, before escaping by ship. Today, the town is well known for the ruins of its ancient acropolis, for its maritime history and fishing tradition. It is also a hub for tourist ships bound for the islands of Ithaca and Kefalonia. Sea bass and sea bream are farmed up to 20 kilometres off the coast of Astakos, across an area of 875m2, by the Mediterranean’s leading sustainable aquaculture company, Avramar. Security group G4S began working with Avramar in 2019. The company wanted to improve the security arrangements of the farms, to ensure that both assets and employees were well protected. Avramar’s operations Aquaculture is one of Greece’s biggest industries and Avramar, which was formed in January 2021 through the merger of four Greek companies, has 71 fish farming sites across Greece and Spain, 12 fish hatcheries and three fish feed production sites. Avramar’s major fresh fish export markets are the USA, France, Italy and Spain, supplying many well-known European and UK supermarkets. Avramar currently has twelve static platforms off the coast of Astakos, manned by skilled employees, many of whom are from the local community and often from families who have worked in sea fishing for many generations. Each of the central platforms manages the fish farms which encircle it
46
Avramar security case study.indd 46
Below: G4S speedboat Opposite from top: Avramar farm, Astakos; Pens at Avramar farm, Astakos
and daily the Avramar team, weather permitting, will inspect the farms and feed the fish. Twice a week, Avramar’s specialist divers check the nets and underwater cages to ensure they are in good working order and to carry out maintenance. Fish farms in the Mediterranean have to contend with poachers in small vessels or even organised criminal gangs. While in many cases the amount of fish stolen may not be significant, these activities can damage the equipment, nets and cages used in the farms. Other boats can also unknowingly stray into a fish farm and cause accidental damage. Prior to working with G4S, Avramar had employed security officers, using their sight and their wits to assess and spot dangers. Avramar decided that human surveillance alone wasn’t able to react quickly enough to the potential threats that the farms may face; particularly over a large area, the majority of which is open sea. Fish farm security Panagiotis Lamprintzis, G4S Greece Secure Solutions Project Manager, worked with Avramar for a number of months before the solution was put in place, to understand the range of risks that the farm faces every day. The Covid-19 pandemic delayed the initial start date, but the solution was up and running by July 2020, with measures in place to ensure the relevant public health guidelines were followed. While the G4S team has extensive experience securing sites large and small across the world, a project of this type in the aquaculture industry was uncharted territory. Lamprintzis says: “We worked with the customer and proposed an integrated security solution that used the most appropriate technology – in some cases nautical – to greatly enhance how officers could respond to threats or incidents more quickly and effectively. Our solution protects Avramar’s assets and employees, the farms themselves and the fish they produce. What Avramar wanted was a
www.fishfarmermagazine.com
12/10/2021 15:19:07
