Greek fishermen leave ships at berths and close fish markets, warning that the cost of fuel makes fishing unprofitable. Industry representatives say that if nothing changes, fresh Greek fish could become rare in a few years.
Briefly about the main thing
- On October 1, fishermen began national mobilization;
- ships remain at berths in Thessaloniki, Piraeus and other ports;
- some fish markets – ιχθυόσκαλες – are closing;
- the main reason is the sharp increase in the cost of fuel for fishing vessels;
- industry representatives warn that the fishery is becoming economically meaningless;
- the harsh formulation sounds: “in three years you will eat Turkish fish”;
- fishermen are demanding separate support for marine fuels and a reduction in energy load.
The ships remained at the berths
On October 1, professional fishermen across Greece began a nationwide protest against the high cost of fuel.
According to ERTnewsin Thessaloniki and other ports, fishermen left their caiques at the piers, saying that at current prices, going to sea was becoming unprofitable.
Promotions are also taking place in Piraeus, Keracini and other parts of the country.
The fishermen are not limited to a symbolic protest: we are talking about closing fish markets and trying to attract traders and fish sellers to the action.
OPEN: fishermen announced an indefinite strike due to the cost of fuel
“In three years you will eat Turkish fish”
The harshest language came from industry representatives in Keracini.
How it conveys SKAIfishermen warn that if the current situation continues, in a few years the Greek market will become increasingly dependent on imported fish.
One of the protesters formulated this extremely harshly: “In three years you will be eating Turkish fish – we are heading for disaster”.
This, of course, is an assessment by the fishermen themselves, and not an official forecast. But it captures the mood of the industry well.
Why fuel has become a critical cost item
For a fishing vessel, fuel is one of the largest variable costs.
The further you have to go to sea and the longer the fishing lasts, the greater the share of fuel in the cost of the catch.
When the price of diesel rises sharply, fishermen are left with only a few options: increase selling prices, reduce the number of trips to sea, reduce the crew, or even leave the vessel at the pier.
According to the protesters, many have now reached the latter option.
Why higher fuel prices quickly turn into higher fish prices
The problem doesn’t end on board the fishing vessel.
After catching, the fish must be transported to the fish market, then to shops, restaurants and taverns. At each stage, transport and energy costs arise.
Therefore, expensive diesel increases not only the cost of the fishery itself, but also the cost of the entire chain – from sea to counter.
This is especially sensitive now, when Greece is already facing a new wave of rising food and energy prices.
Fishermen demand a separate solution
The government has already announced measures to support automotive diesel, but fishermen argue that the current mechanisms are insufficient for commercial vessels.
They demand a separate solution for marine fuel and believe that without reducing energy costs, a significant part of small and medium-sized farms will simply stop going to sea.
In the evening OPEN reported that hundreds of fishermen all over the country participate in the action and demand cheaper fuel for their caiques.
This is not the first industry protest
This is not the first time Greek fishermen have protested.
In the spring of 2025, vessels took part in protests against European rules for recording and weighing catch. Later, fishermen also joined farmers’ protests against rising production costs.
But the current action is different in that the center of the demands is precisely fuelthat is, the basic economic viability of the fishery.
What will happen if the ships really stop leaving?
In the short term, this could mean a reduction in the supply of fresh, local fish.
If the action drags on, part of the demand will inevitably be covered by imports.
In the long term, the problem is more complex: if young fishermen do not see the economic sense in continuing the family fishery, the country may lose not only boats, but also the coastal fishing skills themselves.
This is why the phrase “in three years there will be no Greek fish” sounds exaggerated, but it has a very real economic basis: if the industry systematically operates on the edge of profitability, the number of active vessels will inevitably decrease.
Editorial comment. Fishermen today are talking about more than just their profits. Expensive energy is gradually changing the entire structure of the food market. If local fishing becomes unprofitable, the country becomes more dependent on imports. This means that the question of the cost of fuel for fishing vessels ultimately turns into a question of the price and origin of the fish that the average consumer buys.
For now, the Greek caiques remain at the piers. But if the price of going to sea continues to rise, the dispute over fuel could very quickly turn into a dispute over how much Greek fish will be left on the Greek table.
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