Rural Development Ministry: 62.1 million for 10,743 boats

The installation of tracking devices and electronic tablets on 10,743 small-scale coastal fishing boats, with total public spending of 62,124,000 euros, is being set in motion by the Ministry of Rural Development and Food. This is an upgrade and extension of the existing Integrated System for Monitoring and Recording Fishing Activities, which until now has mainly covered the larger vessels. Under the new action, the geographical position, the course and the time of activity of each boat will be recorded automatically, without any need for a handwritten declaration by the fisherman. The figure of 10,743 boats shows the scale of the undertaking, since it covers almost the whole of the country’s coastal fleet.

Small-scale coastal fishing, meaning boats up to twelve metres in length that do not use towed gear, is the most numerous category of the Greek fishing fleet and is directly linked to the economy of the islands and coastal communities. Until now, the recording of its activity has relied on declarations and sample checks, with the result that the available data on catches is incomplete. Electronic recording is expected to give a more accurate picture of the pressure being exerted on particular stocks and in particular areas. Fishing associations have from time to time expressed reservations about continuous geographical monitoring, raising issues of privacy and of protecting the fishing spots each boat uses.

The action falls under Priority 1 of the Fisheries, Aquaculture and Maritime Programme and is co-financed by the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund. The monitoring obligation stems from the European control regulation, which is gradually extending geolocation and electronic logbook requirements to small vessels as well. The equipment is provided to fishermen at no cost, since it is covered in full by the public spending of the action. On the other hand, reliable recording is a precondition for documenting compensation claims and for pressing for support measures at European level.

The ministry’s original bulletin was not accessible at the time of writing, as the website was returning an error, and the details were drawn from the reports that reproduced it. No installation timetable has been announced, nor how the equipment will be distributed by region. For the Aegean islands, where small-scale fishing remains a basic activity, the question of training in the use of the devices will be just as critical as the procurement itself. The programme covers the 2021-2027 programming period and funds actions for the fleet, aquaculture, processing and control. The ministry has not clarified whether procurement will be through a single tender or through separate contracts by region, nor which body will take on the technical support of the devices after installation.