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Summary:
Cycladorama – Fishers Forum: Strengthening the voice of small-scale coastal fishers
The first CPF Fishers’ Forum 2025, with the theme “Strengthening the voice of small-scale coastal fishers”, took place on Thursday 27 and Friday 28 November in Piraeus, organised by the Cyclades Preservation Fund (CPF) supported by the Blue Marine Foundation, as part of CPF’s Cycladorama initiative which aims to strengthen and network coastal fishing communities of the islands towards a more sustainable direction. The two-day event aimed primarily to give a voice to the small coastal fisheries of the region by highlighting the major challenges and good practices that are followed more widely in regions of Greece and abroad in approaches such as fishing restriction areas, marine parks, recreational fishing, co-management, invasive species, fishing tourism, etc. At the same time, it aimed to highlight common proposals of fishermen, and strengthen their communication channel with the state, the academic community and environmental institutions.
19 fishers from 9 islands took part (Amorgos, Alonissos, Milos, Kimolos, Kythnos, Andros, Santorini, Alonissos, Lemnos, Kefalonia), with the first day dedicated to the dialogue of the fishers in a closed environment, without observers, culminating in recording their common proposals that emerged through participatory processes.
The second day opened a cycle of discussions with administration representatives, the scientific community and environmental institutions, including the Ministry of Shipping and Island Policy, the General Directorate of Fisheries, the Panhellenic Association of Public Ichthyologists, the Natural Environment and Climate Change Organization, the Hellenic Center for Marine Research, WWF Greece, iSea, Thalassa Foundation, the Panhellenic Association of Fishing Tourism for Professional Fishers, fishers of the Amorgorama initiative and of Alonissos National Park, Babel – Fisheries Collaborative, and FishForma Co.
The CPF Fishers’ Forum 2025 highlighted the fact that empowering small-scale coastal fishers requires continuous dialogue, mutual trust and cooperation, while it concluded with the commitment of all participants to continue the joint effort for sustainable Greek seas, strong fishing communities and a new culture of participation in the management of marine resources. For their part, the organizers also committed to sharing the common proposals of coastal fishermen with the professional associations of the Cyclades and subsequently with the competent State bodies in order to continue and consolidate a process of structured, participatory consultation on issues of major importance for the future of small-scale coastal fishing in the Cyclades, but also in Greece more broadly.
