What other European countries have so far shied away from will soon become law in Greece. From 2026, fishing with bottom trawls will be banned in Greece’s various maritime protection zones. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis made the announcement at the Our Ocean World Conference in Athens.
80 percent of the Greek coast protected
Greece is the first country in Europe to commit to banning all bottom trawling fishing by 2030. And it is hoped that this decision will also encourage other countries to take this step.
Mitsotakis explains that compliance with this provision will be monitored using drones, satellites and artificial intelligence. Two new nature parks are also to be created, one in the Ionian Sea and one in the Aegean. This means that 80 percent of the Greek coast is protected.
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Bottom trawls: fishing at any price
Fishing with bottom trawls has been criticized for years. This is a particularly effective but also invasive type of fishing. Bottom trawls are dragged along the seabed by trawlers. They not only catch fish, but also other marine creatures that get caught in the mesh and often die in agony. In addition, the nets also destroy vegetation and especially corals, which take a long time to recover from this damage.
With the ban, Greece is taking an important step that Germany can follow as an example. There is still no talk of such a ban in this country. Bottom trawling nets are still used in the North and Baltic Seas and destroy important maritime habitats.