Posted on December, 04 2024
With the recent development of the adoption of a Ministerial Decision from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and Food (Υ.Α. 2004/2024, ΦΕΚ B’ 6312/15.11.2024) and the issuance of the relevant call for applications for financial assistance to the small-scale fishers of the country, the Ministry paves the way through the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund to cover part of the financial damage caused by the destruction of fishing gear and loss of catches from protected marine species.
THE PROBLEM:
The Greek seas are home to a significant number of threatened and protected marine megafauna species (cetaceans, Mediterranean monk seals, sea turtles, seabirds, sharks and rays), while they also constitute important fishing grounds.
As fishers and marine species compete for essentially the same 'catch', the interaction between the two is almost inevitable, leading to significant negative consequences for both. Thus, while fishing poses a significant threat to the survival of marine species due to injury and/or death from accidental entanglement in fishing gear, fishers suffer from significant economic loss from the damage that these species cause to their gear and catch when attempting to prey.
This phenomenon has been known for several decades both globally and in our country, and in recent years the dissatisfaction of fishers has intensified, due to the increase in the frequency and intensity of incidents, combined with the increase in certain populations of protected species.
THE EFFORTS OF WWF GREECE AND OTHER BODIES TO DATE:
Aiming at the effective long-term protection of marine biodiversity and the harmonious coexistence of humans and nature in Greece, WWF Greece, in cooperation with partners, has worked toward the mitigation of this issue for almost two decades. In particular:
- In 2005, under the coordination of MOm / the Hellenic Society for the Study and Protection of the Monk seal, in collaboration with the Fisheries Research Institute, we contributed to the first recording and evaluation of the interactions of marine mammals and fisheries through the LIFE project "MOFI: Mediterranean seal and fisheries: Addressing the interaction relationship in Greek seas".
- Following this assessment through questionnaires in 7 key areas, combined with research data from 2 important sites for the Mediterranean monk seal, specific proposals were developed in 2009 to mitigate the effects of the interaction between small-scale fisheries and marine mammals.
- More recently, in 2019, these proposals were updated by WWF Greece with an emphasis on mitigating the damage to fishers' income, and submitted to the relevant national authorities proposing the development of a national system of financial support to compensate for the loss of income of fishers caused by marine mammals.
- In 2020, after recognizing the need for robust scientific documentation of the economic loss of fishers at the national level for the development of such a system, under the coordination of WWF Greece, and in collaboration with the Laboratory of Ichthyology of the Department of Biology of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and the Institute of Marine Biological Resources and Inland Waters of the Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, data was collected at the national level through the project "Addressing the interaction between small-scale coastal fisheries and marine megafauna in Greece" (InCa).
- In 2022, based on the results of the InCa project, WWF Greece, together with its partners, formulated , specific proposals to address the phenomenon, including specific and feasible economic measures (e.g. development of a system of financial support for small-scale fishers), aiming to compensate the economic loss caused to coastal fishers by marine mammals.
- Since 2023, as part of the "Greek Wildlife Alliance" initiative, WWF Greece has been advocating for the development of a national system to provide financial support to coastal fishers as compensation for income losses caused by interactions with marine mammals. This effort also aims to reduce incidental catch and mortality of marine species, based on the findings and recommendations of the InCa project.
The above actions and especially the results of the InCa project were of key importance in the adoption of the relevant Ministerial Decision of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the call for proposals. A serious gap that existed in the assessment of the economic loss of small-scale fishers from marine species was filled, while the competent authorities were enabled to take an important step towards compensating the loss of income for small-scale coastal fishers in Greece.
The adoption of this financial measure is the first important step in supporting small-scale coastal commercial fishing, a primary sector of unique importance for our country's island and coastal communities, and the protection of marine biodiversity. We hope that the Ministry will take the necessary initiatives to ensure the long-term implementation of comprehensive measures through European and national resources.
It should be stressed that despite its expected positive impact, this financial support measure is not a panacea. To address the issue of the interaction between small-scale fisheries and protected species in a holistic and long-term manner, complementary actions, such as the implementation of management and technical measures that will help reduce the interaction and ensure its systematic monitoring, should also be funded and properly implemented.
More about our work related to coastal fisheries and interaction with marine species.
