Fishing Tourism
Fishing tourism is inextricably linked to small-scale fisheries (SSF). In the Mediterranean, small-scale coastal fishing accounts for approximately 80% of the fishing fleet (FAO, 2020), while in Greece it accounts for over 97% of the total fishing fleet (EU Fisheries Register, 2023). . The socioeconomic role of small-scale coastal fisheries is vital, as it provides income and employment in coastal areas, while it is recognized as an integral part of cultural heritage, inextricably linked to local culture and traditions (STECF, 2018). The small-scale coastal fishing sector is often characterized as an “aging” sector, with the average age in Greece estimated at 49 years over the past 20 years (Tzanatos et al., 2006) and having undergone a 58% decline since then (Lloret et al., 2018; EU Fisheries Register, 2025).
The reason for this decline has to do with both environmental factors (declining fish stocks, climate crisis, pollution, invasive species) and socioeconomic factors (income, tourism development, EU policies) (Lloret et al., 2018 and references therein). However, small-scale coastal fishing still plays an important role in coastal areas, as it has historically done, both as a source of high-quality food and as a means of employment for island and coastal populations with a strong maritime and fishing tradition. while its role is even more important in remote areas of island Greece, where there are limited alternative employment opportunities (Liontakis & Vassilopoulou, 2022 and references therein). As the problems for professional coastal fishermen grow, those who remain in the industry seek additional sources of income, one of which is fishing tourism.
Indeed, in addition to the additional income it can provide to coastal fishing communities in the EU, fishing tourism has also been recognized as sustainable tourism, supporting the Blue Economy and incorporating sustainable development and green growth (Wenhai et al., 2019). It has been recognized that tourism and fishing can coexist in such a way that fishermen play a central role in raising tourists' awareness of the environmental, sociocultural, and economic values of their islands or coastal areas, presenting fishing methods and, optionally, offering them local culinary delights on board. Το παραπάνω δεν αποτελεί μόνο τρόπο προώθησης ενός εξειδικευμένου «τουριστικού προϊόντος», αλλά και λύση για τη συνδιαχείριση Θαλάσσιων Προστατευόμενων Περιοχών, της εφαρμογής Θαλάσσιου Χωροταξικού Σχεδιασμού (Kyvelou & Ierapetritis, 2020) και ως τρόπος προστασίας των θαλάσσιων ιχθυαποθεμάτων (Gomei & Bellia 2019).
Indeed, in addition to the additional income it can provide to coastal fishing communities in the EU, fishing tourism has also been recognized as sustainable tourism, supporting the Blue Economy and incorporating sustainable development and green growth (Wenhai et al., 2019). It has been recognized that tourism and fishing can coexist in such a way that fishermen play a central role in raising tourists' awareness of the environmental, sociocultural, and economic values of their islands or coastal areas, presenting fishing methods and, optionally, offering them local culinary delights on board. The above is not only a way to promote a specialized "tourism product," but also a solution for the co-management of Marine Protected Areas, the implementation of Marine Spatial Planning (Kyvelou & Ierapetritis, 2020) and a way to protect marine fish stocks (Gomei & Bellia 2019).