Tirana, 26 February 2018 - The Institute for Nature Conservation in Albania, in cooperation with the Regional Environmental Center - REC Albania, within the SENiOR-II National Priority Program, supported by the Swedish Embassy in Albania, organized the National Conference "Assessment of the stateof marine environment in Albania ".

The assessment report on the state of the marine environment for the period 1991-2015, was presented in the meetingbased on the findings and recommendations that the experts of the socio-economic and environmental sectors, together with civil society organizations, have provided to the government in fulfilling national commitments for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals that the United Nations has announced for realization globally.

The document presentsthe negative effectof socio-economic development and environmental damage as a result of the implementation of policies and legal and institutional frameworks with their shortcomings and gaps, based on these findings and relevant recommendations in support of nature conservation and the most effective use of natural resources that the marine environment offers.

Representatives of the National Marine Operational Centre (QNOD), NAPA, RAPA offices in the coastal regions (Shkodër, Divjake, Vlore), AKPT, AKBN, AKUK, AZRT, representatives from academia, civil society organizations, UNDPetc, attended the event. They expressed their opinion regarding the developments that have taken place in the marine environment in our country and shared with the organizers and experts, their opinions and recommendations for a better management of the marine area andhow to achieve regional and global commitments. The representatives of central and regional institutions themselves expressed interest in the study and called for closer cooperation with civil society organizations in order to evaluate the recommendations, and to use the data form the study as basic for a results based framework for the marine area management, which they are also contributing too, as part of their mandate and mission.