Using Satellite Data to Locate Fish Farms in the Aegean Sea

From 2011 to 2021, marine and brackish water aquaculture production in the Mediterranean and Black Seas increased by 91.3% in volume and 74.5% in value, primarily due to the rise in finfish marine aquaculture. In the Aegean Sea, a significant aquaculture hotspot, Greece and Turkey lead in fish farm numbers and production volume. This study uses Google Earth satellite imagery to map and analyze fish farming cages along the Aegean Sea, comparing findings with the EMODnet dataset. By cataloging fish farm cages along the Greek and Turkish coastlines, we identified 4729 cages in Greece and 2349 in Turkey, with Turkey’s cages occupying a larger area (1.64 km2) than Greece (1.35 km2) due to their larger average size. The analysis revealed significant discrepancies between satellite-derived data and EMODnet records, particularly along the Greek coastline, highlighting gaps in existing datasets. Our findings underscore the need for improved marine spatial planning and management as well as for consistent data collection to support sustainable aquaculture.