A high-profile initiative was announced on Thursday aimed to protect the maritime ecosystem around the iconic Cyclades Island of Amorgos – the setting of the 1980s film “The Big Blue” – through limiting professional fishing in the surrounding coastal zones.

Overfishing has emerged as a distinct concern in Greek waters, similar to other parts of the Mediterranean.

The initiative, dubbed “Amorgorama”, was announced during a teleconference that included Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

He promised, in fact, to visit Amorgos in early October, stressing that “I really want to give international publicity to this wonderful initiative that you have undertaken, to protect your seas. Because I think you know better than anyone that if you limit fishing in specific areas and at specific times of the year, you will eventually have many more fish.

Additionally, the initiative includes measures for the regularly cleanup of remote coastlines and beaches, the gradual switch to more viable fishing gear and the creation of three marine protected areas along the island’s shoreline, i.e. a prohibition on fishing.

Mitsotakis welcomed the Amorgos initiative and added that this discussion is taking place globally, while pointing out that there are few examples of local communities that have started on their own initiative to undertake such an action.
He also referred to the two very large and important marine parks announced by the government, one of which is in the south Aegean, and will have marine protection zones, milder in the first phase compared to what Amorgos is doing.