“In the 1990s, fish farming in Greece began with European subsidies. The big companies that went on the stock market survived, the small ones closed. But those who survived went bankrupt and ended up in banks and from there to foreign funds that invested in intensive aquaculture, but without a legal framework that puts strict conditions on it. ” protection, however, leaves considerable room for each Member State to handle the matter as it thinks fit.
“So they started out wrong. Of course, the islands would have to fish, but on a small and sustainable scale. International experience says that there are good cases in both Scotland and Italy where they have made sustainable fish farming. Greece has not decided whether it wants to make fish farming sustainable with a clean environment, clean food and therefore more quality fish. “
Fish farms: Questions about health and the environment at the bottom.
Is aquaculture another development dilemma? The question is, should we choose between destroying our environment and our health in order to increase the production of large multinational fish daily? Finally, the ecological catastrophe in our country is irreversible and what should be done? Why does Greece ultimately produce cheap and poor quality fish while having the natural wealth to support its production of good quality fish? Tvxs.gr is continuing its research and is seeking expert answers.
Environmental studies of monkeys, black seabirds, harmful fish
With the legal adventure of fisherman Christos Loverdos Stelakatou, presented by Tvxs.gr a few days ago, an extremely serious issue has come to the fore that has been of concern to environmentalists, scientists, environmental groups and active citizens for decades. The impact of intensive aquaculture on our health and the environment.
Fish farming is the fastest growing food industry in the world, it has intensified the exploitation of fish, and has led to the large-scale privatization of the seas. According to press reports, we have two million tonnes of production (sea bass, sea bream, sea bass, mullet, trout, tongue, salmon) in the EU alone, generating billions of dollars in multinationals. Over-naturalization leaves behind the black seabed, disintegrated marine ecosystem and brings unhealthy fish to our dishes. What is happening in Greece?
The auspicious legal framework, the state’s inability or indifference to scrutiny, the uncontrolled use of formulas and antibiotics, often bring to our plate food, infused with carcinogens, and destroy our seabed and fauna in a large area around them. where the necessary measures are not taken.
Adding to this is the revelation by the director of the Maritime Institute of the Anastasia Milipus Anastasia on environmental studies. “We often find that there are environmental studies of copy paste. That is, they take the study done on the A island, present it as a study done on the B island. It is the same and indispensable. They had once forgotten to erase the name of the first island. What does this mean; Apparently there was never a study for the B island, “says A. Miliou at tvxs.gr. “The authorities say everything is fine. That the environmental conditions are perfect and that they are something crazy ecologists overdo. “
Adding to this is the revelation by the director of the Maritime Institute of Anastasia Milipus Anastasia on environmental studies. “We often find that there are environmental studies of copy paste. That is, they take the study on the A island, present it as a study on the B island. It is the same and indispensable. They had once forgotten to erase the name of the first island. What does this mean; Apparently there was never a study for the B island, “says A. Miliou at tvxs.gr.” The authorities say everything is fine. That the environmental conditions are perfect and that they are something crazy ecologists overdo. “
“In areas where we did research, we found incredible things. Where it was written that there is no Posidonia (protected sea meadow above which cages are forbidden to be installed), this map is cakey. It was the investor’s obligation to do special study. They put pods over meadows which were destroyed. We sampled the bottom and found large, dead rhizomes from the Posidonia marine meadows, which were under a thick layer of mud. ”
The history of arbitrariness that makes us export cheap fish of poor quality
“In the 1990s, fish farming in Greece began with European subsidies. The big companies that went on the stock market survived, the small ones closed. But those who survived went bankrupt and ended up in banks and from there to foreign funds that invested in intensive aquaculture, but without a legal framework that puts strict conditions on it. ” protection, however, leaves considerable room for each Member State to handle the matter as it thinks fit.
Ann Milieu explains that a project with a rigorous environmental framework would yield more cedar because: “… We could have stricter terms and better and more expensive fish, not compete with cheap Turkey. They have lowered the sale price to 2.5 euros per kilo. A good unit costs, for example, 5 euros per kilo, so it can’t sell as cheaply. It has to do with both local competition and competition with Turkey. We can have environmental protection and export good quality fish. We just have to aim there. ”
But often the conditions for quality fish and less environmental interference do not suit companies. “The cages must be in deep water with streams so that the bottom does not become contaminated with the droppings and of course there are fewer fish in each cage. For companies it is less expensive to be in the shallows, on the coast. so we have greater destruction. Areas are no longer touristy because of the crop that has left dead areas behind. ” This is why active citizens have reacted very vigorously over the last 30 years, with protests, letters to the authorities and demonstrations at sea.
“Yes, I eat fish from good units”
Miliou says she eats fish from a farm she knows adheres to certain conditions. Tvxs.gr will do the research and recommend units that do not use over-the-top tactics from which you can eat fearless fish. It is worth noting, however, that there are many activist environmentalists who do not believe in “good practice” solutions for smaller units.
This view is embossed in a report entitled “Fish Farming – A Heavy Industry Hidden in Cloudy Water” (Apatris Journal). “But capitalism and the growing accumulation of profits do not go hand in hand with the ‘small’, profitable aquaculture cannot be harmless, and the issue does not disappear when transferred elsewhere, as it concerns our broader relationship with the planet and other living things. beings living in him. In a system where land, people, and other animals are considered consumables, objectification, exploitation, power logic, the imposition of what they may consider inferior, either in the form of direct violence or in the form of consumption, are just the enemy we are. “
