€16 Million Support Package Announced for Greek Fisheries

A caller €16 cardinal programme for the fisheries assemblage was announced by the Minister of Rural Development and Food, Margaritis Schinas, during a visit helium made, together with European Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans Costas Kadis, to the Keratsini Fish Market.

Applications will beryllium submitted electronically done Greece’s Integrated State Aid Management Information System (OPSKE) from today, May 14, until September 15. The programme aims, arsenic noted, to strengthen the sustainability of fisheries, amended working conditions and information for fishers, and upgrade fishery products.

Schinas said that 1 of the large problems presently facing the fisheries assemblage is the accelerated emergence successful the terms of diesel, “which is present taking connected borderline and worrying proportions.” As helium stressed, “we are working together with Europe and with the Ministry of Finance to find solutions, so that Greek fishers tin bring to marketplace the high-quality products we saw here.”

He added that the Keratsini Fish Market is “where the bosom of Greek fisheries beats” and said helium was “impressed by the organization, sufficiency, and besides the prices of the products traded here.”

For his part, Kadis noted that the European Commission reacted “with speedy reflexes” to the situation created by the situation successful the Middle East.

He added that the situation mechanics under the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund has been activated, allowing subordinate states, depending connected their needs, to support the fisheries sector, which is under unit from the accrued operating costs caused by the emergence successful diesel prices, from precocious February done the extremity of the year.

New Democracy MEP and subordinate of the European Parliament’s Committee connected Fisheries Fredi Beleri described the visit by the European Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans arsenic “important.” “We are present and together, each from our ain position, we will assistance and facilitate each fishers,” helium stressed.

The CEO of the Central Markets and Fisheries Organization (OKAA), Nikos Lymperis, said OKAA is liable for the 11 food markets operating successful Greece.

As helium noted, 60,000 tons of food are traded annually done these markets, compared with 220,000 tons consumed by Greek consumers.

Finally, the contented of rising diesel prices was besides raised by the president of the nonrecreational sportfishing relation “To Aigaio,” Evangelos Arapakis, who represents trawler and purse seiner (a type of sportfishing net) owners. “We are decidedly asking for a subsidy, if we want the superior fisheries assemblage successful Greece to stay alive, due to the fact that with these diesel prices we are being led to disaster,” helium said.