General Aspects of the Recreational Fishery in Hellas

Recreational fishery legislation, design, and implementation is under the responsibility of the Ministry of Recostruction of Production, Environment, Energy and Rural Development. Professional fisheries is under the responsibility of the same Ministry. Presidential Decree 373/85 is the main legislation covering recreational fisheries. Control is the responsibility of ports authorities. There are no local regulations. There are no rules for recreational fisheries in inland waters. In May 2014, the whole licensing system for recreational fishing has been seized by the central administration without previously consulting the relevant authorities. Therefore at the moment a licensing system does not exist. Only one census was conducted to estimate the number of recreational fishermen and vessels that hold a fishing license for the period 1996-1997. The number of fishermen was 96,075, the number of vessels was 71,144 respectively, and the total engine power of vessels was 1,454,739 HP. The Hellenic fisheries statistics system very poorly monitors the parameters of recreational fishing. The competent authority for the collection and compilation of fisheries statistical data is the Hellenic Statistical Authority.