Allocated Zones for Aquaculture (AZA).Technical Guide

This Technical Guide, drafted by ISPRA for the General direction of fisheries and aquaculture of the Ministry of Agriculture, is a practical tool to facilitate the understanding of the processes for the identification and allocation of marine areas to aquaculture as well as to facilitate the identification and selection of new sites taking into account existing constraints, multiple pressures, maritime uses, the state of the marine environment and the carrying capacity of marine ecosystems.

It provides advanced knowledge and tools to Regions and coastal municipalities to support the decision-making process for planning new zones for aquaculture development and to integrate Allocated Zones for Aquaculture (AZAs) in the Maritime Spatial Plans, according to the principles of the FAO Ecosystem Approach  to Aquaculture (EAA).

The AZAs are considered an essential tool for the sustainable development of aquaculture, in a perspective of blue growth and green transition towards climate-neutral, healthy and environmentally friendly food systems.

The publication is the result of a long participatory process, with the involvement and consultation of Italian regional and national administrations, producer associations, aquaculture operators, scientific community, environmental agencies and experimental zooprophylactic institutes.

ISPRA is grateful to all the involved stakeholders for their contributions and active cooperation.

Download the publication(pdf 5 mb)

Fact sheet (pdf 222 kb)