Small-Scale Fisheries in Greece: Status, Problems, and Management

Abstract

Small-scale fisheries in Greece are characterised by a large number of fishers and vessels scattered along an extensive coastline, a variety of fishing gears and target species, and intense heterogeneity. There are various definitions of small-scale fisheries; in general, they comprise all gears except for trawls and purse seines. Despite having little direct economic value, small-scale fisheries do have significant social importance, especially for remote rural and insular areas. Small-scale fisheries are structured around the family; contemporary fishers are relatively old, tend to inhabit their place of birth, have a low educational level and diverse levels of dependence on the profession. The fisheries are mainly located in the coastal zone and managed through control measures regulating effort, gear types, and gear use in terms of space and time. In general, small-scale fisheries have characteristics associated with sustainability, although there are cases with adverse effects on the marine ecosystem. In past decades, due to a number of management practices (e.g. vessel modernisation and replacement), Greek small-scale fisheries have, however, lost their traditional advantages of “cost-effect” relationship and morphed into “small-becoming-big-scale fisheries” with high costs, low profits, increased fishing effort and pressure on fish resources. In addition, the complex and outdated legal framework regarding professional fisheries and the individualistic character of the profession act as obstacles to collective action and complicate management.