Four Turkish trawlers have been accused of illegally fishing inside Greek territorial waters between the eastern Aegean islands of Samos, Fournoi and Patmos during a period when trawling is prohibited in Greek seas.
According to Anastasia Miliou, research director at the Archipelagos Institute of Marine Conservation, the presence of Turkish trawlers operating illegally in Greek waters has increased significantly in recent years.
Miliou said the vessels were found fishing in an area where trawling is banned during the seasonal closure, a measure intended to allow marine ecosystems to recover from intensive overfishing. She added that the affected waters also include a protected zone around the Fournoi island group, established after years of effort to safeguard one of the largest and most extensive coral forest habitats in the region.
She said that until 2019, Turkish fishing vessels were generally observed operating close to the maritime boundary. However, she claimed they now routinely enter 40 to 50 nautical miles inside Greek territorial waters without interference.
“The situation is getting worse every year,” Miliou said, arguing that the absence of intervention by the Greek authorities has effectively encouraged the practice. She said the vessels continue fishing because they are not being stopped.
Miliou also stated that vessels operated by the Hellenic Coast Guard and the European Union’s Frontex border agency, which are present in the area, do not have orders to intervene against or drive away the fishermen accused of illegal fishing.
