April 13, 2007

Greece to promote fishery development

Greece is trying to formalise fishery plans to tap the fast-growing seafood market.

Greek Agricultural Development and Food Ministry minister Evangelos Basiakos announced the move Thursday (Apr 12) during a meeting of the European Parliament's fisheries committee in Athens.

The ministry is promoting a bill containing measures aimed at better organizing and developing fisheries in the country.

The measures include the creation of regions of organized development for fisheries, institutional and financial backing for the sector along with the creation of new jobs, production of new fish species and development of new feeding and reproduction methods.

According to the ministry, the fisheries sector in Greece has been growing rapidly in recent years. The country currently produces nearly half of the Mediterranean's production of open sea fish.

The fisheries industry, with turnover of EUR 460 million (US$622 million) annually is the country's second largest export sector, following olive oil.

According to official data, 15 fisheries firms are ranked among the country's 100 top companies.