The Programme
The program “Fishing Tourism & Climate Change: Towards Sustainable and Innovative Practices” aims to train, develop skills, and strengthen the fishing tourism sector so that:
a) adopt sustainable practices that make them more resilient to the effects of climate change; and
b) take active measures both through their professional activities and through the actions provided for in the program; and
c) act as awareness ambassadors and contribute to increasing scientific knowledge about the marine environment and the pressures it faces.
The expected results of the program “Fishing Tourism & Climate Change: Towards Sustainable and Innovative Practices” are as follows:
1. Recording and Analysis of Existing
Fishing Tourism Practices
The first objective of the program is to record existing fishing tourism practices and their impact on three thematic areas that are inextricably linked to climate change: 1) alien species, 2) habitat loss—especially Posidonia meadows—and 3) plastic pollution.
This first step is expected to lead to the identification and recording of harmful practices, such as anchoring in Posidonia and the use of single-use plastics, and to the proposal of alternative sustainable practices for fishing tourism.
The recording and analysis of existing fishing tourism practices began with the start of the collaboration between iSea and PSATEA.
It will be completed through a round table discussion to be held in Thessaloniki on March 13, 2026.
2. Creation of a Good Practice Guide
One of the main expected outcomes of the program is the creation of a guide to good practices, which will include sustainable and innovative practices that fishermen can follow to protect ecosystems and avoid harmful effects. This guide will be made available to fishermen who are already active in fishing tourism and to those who wish to start this activity. The guide will also be posted on the program's website.
3. Education and Awareness
Three online seminars will be held to train professional fishermen (one for each thematic area: alien species, Posidonia meadows, and plastic pollution).
The seminar presentations, along with the rest of the informational material that will be produced as part of the program
as well as material from previous related programs will be posted on the program’s website so that it is accessible to both fishermen and visitors/tourists.
4. Citizen Science: Data Collection and Monitoring
One of the important results of the project is the strengthening of citizen science through the participation of fishermen in actions on the following topics
Foreign species:
Printing of educational material for the identification and recording of alien species by fishermen. Data collection will be carried out through the iNaturalist platform in order to locate and record marine alien species.
Poseidonia:
Collecting data on dead Posidonia and changes in its life cycle, such as flowering and fruiting, as well as other effects of climate change.
Plastic pollution:
Collection of data on pollution from plastics and microplastics for the purpose of analyzing pollution in three areas of Greece: the Axios River Delta, Kefalonia, and Poros.
4. Citizen Science: Data Collection and Monitoring
The program “Fishing Tourism & Climate Change: Towards Sustainable and Innovative Practices” aims to train, develop skills, and strengthen the fishing tourism sector so that:
a) adopt sustainable practices that make them more resilient to the effects of climate change; and
b) take active measures both through their professional activities and through the actions provided for in the program; and
c) act as awareness ambassadors and contribute to increasing scientific knowledge about the marine environment and the pressures it faces.
The expected results of the program “Fishing Tourism & Climate Change: Towards Sustainable and Innovative Practices” are as follows:
5. Raising public awareness
The development and distribution of informational material, such as QR stickers, brochures, and waterproof cards, on boats will raise tourists’ awareness of sustainable fishing and environmental issues related to climate change.
6. Maintaining and Supporting Long-Term Resilience
The project aims to create a sustainable foundation through continuous access to educational material and the opportunity to participate in future educational activities. Participating fishermen will be able to continue adopting and promoting good practices after the program ends.
The project aims to promote a continuous cycle of education and awareness, strengthening cooperation between fishermen, researchers, and tourists, with the goal of protecting the marine environment and ensuring the sustainable development of the fishing industry.