Cypriot fishermen are calling for a ten year national plan to support them, warning that their stocks are rapidly falling and their industry is on the brink of collapse. 

The demand was raised at a meeting with European fisheries commissioner Costas Kadis.

In a joint statement issued on Friday, multiple fishing associations called on the government to to properly apply the EU’s common fisheries policy.

The groups set out its main priorities, those being to grant small scale fishermen priority access to coastal waters and traditional fishing grounds, and applying EU rules aimed at helping fish stocks recover and be managed sustainably. 

They also want stronger monitoring of both professional and recreational fishing, including a crackdown on illegal and unreported fishing.

Further priorities include making it easier for fishermen to sell their catch and access funding, in order to secure stable incomes and attract new individuals into the trade. 

The groups are also asking for fishermen to have a real say in decisions that affect their industry.

Christodoulos Charalambous, president of the fishermens’ association, said “small-scale fishermen experience these pressures daily at sea, but Cyprus still lacks a coherent, long-term plan for the future of our industry.” 

He said fishermen and scientists had already worked together to draw up a ten year plan with a clear vision, specific actions, defined responsibilities, a budget and a timetable. 

“Fishermen are ready to contribute their knowledge and experience and to cooperate constructively with the relevant authorities to find solutions that will ensure the future of our profession and coastal communities,” he said.

Javier Lopez of the environmentalist organisation Oceana said the situation facing Cypriot fishermen showed “the urgent need for effective implementation and enforcement of the CFP, so that there are tangible results.” 

He added that the coming European Ocean Act offered a chance to strengthen how Europe’s seas are managed and to give fishermen better protection and access to coastal waters.

The sector is grappling with falling fish stocks, invasive species, climate change, rising costs and unstable incomes, alongside an ageing workforce and difficulty attracting newcomers to the profession. 

The call follows a recent EU review which found that while the common fisheries policy provides the right framework, uneven enforcement across member states has slowed the recovery of fish stocks.