NGOs and Artisanal Fishers rally for sustainable fisheries

160 groups from 17 EU member states have signed the declaration ahead of a European Parliament hearing on October 11th on how the proposed CFP reform will affect artisanal fishers. The majority of EU fishers are coastal and artisanal and often work in a less intensive manner, using a range of seasonally diverse fishing methods

Recent advances towards the protection of the Greek Seas from destructive trawling methods

This decision is a breath of fresh air for the depleted marine ecosystems of Greece, as well as vindication of Archipelagos’ efforts since 2008. These efforts have focused on taking action at both national and European levels for the retraction of the decision made by the former Fisheries Deputy Minister Mr Kontos (164198/03-03-08). A quick

Fisherman gets seriously injured using dynamite while fishing in Koufonisia Islands

During the morning of the 19th August 2011, a local and professional fisherman from Koufonisia Islands was seriously injured by dynamite while attempting to carry out dynamite fishing off of the Koufonisia Islands. The use of illegal explosive materials is an on going problem within many small fishing communities in areas of the Aegean Sea and

Μission against international mafia distributors of illegally caught Bluefin tuna

One member of Archipelagos Institute of Marine Conservation is already on board the ship ‘M/Y Steve Irwin’, that sailed from southern France towards the Libyan Sea and the wider area of the Eastern Mediterranean. At the same time, members of Archipelagos’ research team will patrol the Greek and international waters on their sailing vessel and

Current actions in the field: Fisheries Research

Archipelagos’ researchers follow the fishermen’s demanding time schedule, often during adverse weather conditions, under which their fishing activities take place. The researchers record the production and catch composition (both those fished legally, and those caught illegally) as well as record the prohibited and destructive fishing practices implemented in the region. This research aims to create

The tightening of the legal net around the authorities in regards to the removal of the Sea Diamond

After many months of preparation a team of researchers from the Environmental Protection Clinic of Yale University Law School has been conducting a series of meetings in Greece, over the past few days, in order to complete the file upon this case. The team of researchers from Yale’s Law School, said to be one of

Environmental Crime in Andros: 200.000cm3 of rubbish entered the Aegean

The heavy rainfalls of last month revealed in the most forceful and, at the same time, the most tragic way, a chronic crime that takes place in Stavropeda of Andros from the 1970’s. Tons of plastic and other rubbish were washed away from the illegal dump and buried the neighboring Shinias beach,  while also covered

Archipelagos in Brussels in a DG MARE meeting, NGO’s combating IUU Fisheries

Archipelagos, the only Greek organization that took part in the workgroup meeting and is deeply involved with illegal fishery issues in Greece, was represented by Anastasia Miliou (Head Scientist & Manager) and Vasilis Kouroutos (Scientific consultant and Marine Protected Areas specialist). The agenda of the meeting included ways of utilizing the information and data collected

Important initiative by CIESM for the creation of Transnational Marine Conservation Zones

The workgroup meeting was an initiative of CIESM (International Commission for the Scientific Exploration of the Mediterranean) and 29 scientists of various disciplines from 14 Mediterranean countries were invited. The Archipelagos representative stated the Institute’s position with regards to the establishment and enactment of Transnational Marine Parks in the north-eastern Mediterranean Sea and particularly in

Light in the tunnel after pressure by Archipelagos for harmonization of Greek and Mediterranean fishing regulations

The letter stressed that the new ministerial decision will meet the requirements of the Mediterranean regulation (1967/2006), to ensure the sustainable exploitation of fish stocks and protect the environment. This means that fishing with towed gears (trawlers) will only be allowed at longer distances set by the EC 1967/2006 (1.5 miles minimum distance from the