Fishy business on Amorgos

Supported By: Amorgos

On the hazy, charming island of Amorgos, fishing is more than just putting food on a plate, but a way of life. Here you’ll find traditional kaiki boats bobbing on the gentle swells, freshly caught octopus drying in the golden sun, and rustic fish taverns omitting wafts of buttery bream. For centuries, salty fisherfolk have ventured out on the cyan waves reaping the rewards of the rich waters. But over-fishing has consequences and depletes precious supply, without giving our poor scaley friends time to catch up.

Here enters “Fish Smarter”, an initiative which educates local fishermen on the benefits of fishing tourism. The smart scheme comes from non-profit social enterprise Enaleia, in partnership with the Costas M. Lemos Foundation and the Cyclades Preservation Fund, to nurture a “win win” fishing culture where everyone gains. In parallel, the island’s small-scale fishermen wish to see marine life thrive again and are leading the creation of protected zones through “Amorgorama” (“Amorgos Vision”). April and May are crucial reproduction months for marine life, and so the initiative aims to raise money to pay the local fishermen to spend their time cleaning up the local bays during this period, and thus leaving the fish to breed.

From learning to sustainably spear fish, exploring the island’s secret coves, coastline and fishing history, or getting front row seats to the sunset, fishing boats naturally lend themselves to remarkable experiences. These tourism experiences based around fishing and being at sea, create an alternative source of income for fishers and thus limits overfishing. Hooray! And not forgetting the travellers who get a magical morning out on the big blue, learning the ways of the waves from a true, authentic expert.

Visit Website: https://cycladespreservationfund.org/grants/promoting-fishing-tourism/