Ministry of Rural Development and Food: Promoting a scientific fisheries council and a fishing tourism framework

The Ministry of Rural Development and Food is undertaking two new initiatives to support fisheries. During the briefing of the special parliamentary committee of the Regions, on the new fisheries policy for the period 2021-2027, the Deputy Minister of Rural Development and Food, Simos Kedikoglou informed the deputies that the ministry is setting up a scientific fisheries council to collect and , with priority on the definition of fish breeding zones, geographically and temporally.

Mr. Kedikoglou also informed the members of the Committee of the Regions that in cooperation with the Ministry of Tourism a framework for fishing tourism is being prepared, a development that will provide “alternative sources of income for fishermen, and will make Greece a tourist attraction”.

Referring to fisheries policy in the period 2021-2027, the Deputy Minister of Rural Development and Food said that the program will be based on four main axes:

– The promotion of sustainable fisheries and the restoration and conservation of aquatic biological resources.

– The promotion of sustainable aquaculture activities and the processing and marketing of fishery and aquaculture products with a contribution to food security in the European Union.

–  Encouraging a sustainable blue economy in coastal and island areas, as well as inland waters, and promoting the development of fisheries and aquaculture communities.

– Strengthening international governance of the oceans and seas and creating the conditions for safe and clean sea and oceans subject to sustainable management.

Regarding the strategic national goals, Simos Kedikoglou emphasized the modernization of the fishing fleet, the selectivity of the fishing gear and the improvement of the quality of the fishery products, the strengthening of the viability of the fishing enterprises, the support of the traditional fishing sector , strengthening the process of succession and entry of new fishermen into the industry and supporting the diversification of fishing activities. “The aim is to modernize and develop infrastructure to support fisheries, meet landfill obligations and manage unwanted catches and marine litter, develop innovation to reduce the environmental footprint of fishing and provide support for “Technological development in fisheries, protection and restoration of biodiversity and ecosystems, ensuring the adequacy of stocks and maximum sustainable fishing efficiency,” said the Deputy Minister of Rural Development and Food.

During the meeting the members of the committee were informed about the programs and the financial tools, by Dimitris Papagiannidis, Secretary General of EU Resources of the Ministry of Rural Development and Food. Mr. Papagiannidis referred to the priorities for sustainable development of the fisheries sector in the direction of enhancing competitiveness, ie strengthening the income of fishermen, protecting the environment and maintaining social and economic cohesion. The main axis, as he explained, is the promotion of environmentally sustainable, resource-efficient, innovative, competitive and knowledge-based aquaculture.

The Secretary General of the Ministry of Rural Development and Food, Christiana Kalogirou, described the sustainable development of fisheries as a national goal. “As an integral part of the blue economy and blue growth, the development of fisheries in our country, we realize that not only contributes to the growth of our national product, but is also a key area for social cohesion, especially in remote and small islands. areas,’ Christiana Kalogirou pointed out and stressed that the focus of the ministry’s policy is fishermen and the development of the fishing industry, which is an important element for the development of each region, island or coastal.