THE EFFECTIVENESS OF A COGNITIVE PROGRAM FOR IMPLEMENTING ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS TO ACHIEVE SUSTAINABILITY: AN APPLICATION TO ONE OF THE FISHERIES PROJECTS

The study aimed to identify the impact of implementing Environmental Management Systems (EMS) on achieving sustainability in Egypt’s fisheries sector, with a focus on the case study of the Ghalyoun Fish Farming Project. The study adopted a descriptive-analytical approach, and the research tool was a field questionnaire (prepared by the researcher), administered to a sample of 200 employees working in the fish farming sector in Egypt. The study employed the following statistical methods: Cronbach’s Alpha, Pearson’s Correlation Coefficient, descriptive statistics, standard deviation, simple regression, and multiple regression analysis. The results revealed a statistically significant correlation between the application of environmental management systems and the achievement of environmental, economic, and social sustainability. They also indicated a statistically significant effect of inspections, preventive and corrective measures, and management review of environmental management systems and their improvement in enhancing environmental sustainability. The study recommended the adoption of integrated environmental policies, the development of training programs, raising environmental awareness within local communities about the importance of sustainability, strengthening monitoring of the application of environmental standards, and reinforcing the role of oversight and legislation in supporting the sustainability of the fisheries sector.