Relief for Dodecanese Fishermen
Professional fishermen in the Dodecanese are set to receive significant financial support following the announcement by Dodecanese MP Manos Konsolas that a pilot subsidy scheme for catching invasive pufferfish has been activated, alongside a fuel subsidy for fishing vessels.
Under the new pilot programme covering Crete and the Dodecanese, fishermen will receive €5.33 per kilogram of pufferfish caught. The measure follows Mr. Konsolas’ parliamentary initiative calling for compensation for fishermen targeting the invasive species, which has caused extensive damage to fisheries across the region.
In his intervention, the MP cited scientific research indicating that environmental conditions will continue to favour the spread of pufferfish in Greek waters until at least 2035, as the species has abundant food sources and virtually no natural predators. He also referred to Cyprus, where a similar compensation scheme has successfully helped control the species while allowing the collected biomass to be used for other purposes.
At the same time, the government announced a fuel pass for fishing diesel, providing a subsidy of €0.16 per litre for April and May, when fuel prices were particularly high, and €0.12 per litre for June. The measure aims to ease the heavy fuel costs faced by professional fishermen.
Together, the two initiatives are expected to provide meaningful financial relief to fishermen in the Dodecanese, helping them tackle both the ecological impact of the invasive pufferfish and the rising operational costs of their fishing activities.
