Composition, temporal dynamics and regional characteristics of small-scale fisheries in Greece

Abstract The characteristics of Greek small-scale fisheries were examined using data from the Common Fisheries Register and from 551 fishermen interviews in 121 ports of 18 prefectures. The sector consisted of 19,052 small-scale fishing vessels and about 29,000–35,000 fishermen by the end of 2002. Both the number of fishermen and vessels show a decreasing trend in the last decade. The social importance of small-scale fisheries varies considerably between the Greek prefectures and is relatively higher in the insular ones. A total of 17 fishing gears and 62 target species was reported. The most important metiers were identified using multivariate methodology and were characterised by fishing gear, target species, locality and season. Most of the metiers are localized, but some are existent all over the country. Fishing activity follows a seasonal pattern characterising the different regions. The Greek prefectures were also grouped using cluster analysis of data on gear licenses and gear usage to explore the existence of geographic affinity on a broader scale. The results confirm the great heterogeneity and the complexity of the small-scale fishing sector.