In 2015, the Greek government introduced pescatourism rules to help fishers diversify their income and reduce fish catch. Despite this, few fishers were able to take advantage of this opportunity due to a lack of information, skills, and motivation. In response, 18 fisheries Local Action Groups (LAGs) came together to design a joint project to develop pescatourism in Greece, by convincing and supporting fishers and developing the market for this new, slow tourism activity.
Among the project activities, FLAGs provided information and helped fishers fill in questionnaires that provided details of their profiles, challenges faced and other statistics; organised a two-day training covering the procedures to meet the legal requirements and a practical demonstration; and carried out a study visit to Italy for 50 fishers and 50 FLAG members to learn from Sardinian fishers experienced in pescatourism.
- Project locations
- Greece
- Overall budget
- €649 000
- EU contribution
- €649 000100% of the overall budget
- Project website
- Pesca Tourism Greece
Results
More than 450 fishers mobilised and more than 100 trained in pescatourism.
48 fishers have taken steps to obtain a pesca-tourism license and 157 fishers are now undertaking pescatourism activities (up from 101 fishers practicing it before the project).
Fishers involved in the activity can now live almost exclusively from pescatourism in the months of July and August (a pescatourism trip brings in approximately €500 per day).
Reduced pressure on local fish species (a gillnet fisher sets around 0.5km of net for pescatourism, compared to around 5km of net for a day of professional fishing).
The project is contributing to keeping the young in the sector, attracted by the easier working conditions and better pay.
Contact
Lead fisheries LAG
Evangelia Lymperopoulou
- Name
- Lead fisheries LAG
- Organisation
- Kavala FLAG
- llimperopoulou
ankavala [dot] gr - Phone number
- +302510620459