At the end of last week, the Fish For Life project team organized a working meeting with the representatives of the institutions responsible for the regulation of economic activities and the approval of plans and projects in the Gilort River Special Conservation Area ROSCI 0362, part of the Natura 2000 network.

Representatives of the Jiu Water Basin Administration, the Gorj Water Management Service, the National Agency for Protected Natural Areas and Gorj Environmental Protection Agency participated in the meeting with the topic: Work procedures, the inter-institutional circuit of documents, personnel with responsibilities in the implementation area of the Fish for Life project.

The main topics of discussion were the legislative changes in the field of environmental protection, the administration of water and protected natural areas, the regulatory powers of the participants in the Gilort River Special Conservation Area, the dynamics of the staff in the county structures of local institutions and their impact on the development the activities of the Fish for Life project. One important point discussed was also the authorization of economic activities in the project area and finding a way of inter-institutional communication that would contribute to a better protection of species and habitats. Green alternatives to the classic measures that institutions in the field of water administration must take for flood protection were also a topic that aroused the interest of the participants, the solutions being addressed in other countries in Europe being discussed.

The meeting is part of activity E.6.1. The organization of seminars with interested parties on the needs of species conservation, which provides for discussions with all interested factors and whose activities may have implications on the conservation of biodiversity and the preservation of the Gilort River Natura 2000 site. The next meeting with the decision makers in the implementation area of the Fish For Life project is scheduled for the end of this year.