Cruisers Forum
 


Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Rate Thread Display Modes
Old 03-06-2015, 06:44   #1
Registered User

Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 24
Greek laws about fishing and lighting fires

Hello everyone!

Does anyone know, is it legal to fish with a rod in greek waters?
If yes, is it possible to rent fishing equipment (particularly in Lefkada)?

And another question: is it legal to light fires on a coast (using dry wood, not cutting any trees)?

It would be cool to catch a fish and grill it in the evening
steppencat is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-06-2015, 08:42   #2
Elvish meaning 'Far-Wanderer'
 
Palarran's Avatar

Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Boat - Greece - Me - Michigan
Boat: 56' Fountaine Pajot Marquises
Posts: 3,489
Re: Greek laws about fishing and lighting fires

They don't care if you fish, mostly because there is so little chance of catching anything. Lighting a fire, bad idea. Many of these islands have been seriously torched by fires and will burn quickly. Cook your fish on a grill over coals.
__________________
Our course is set for an uncharted sea
Dante
Palarran is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-06-2015, 09:01   #3
Registered User

Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 24
Re: Greek laws about fishing and lighting fires

Quote:
Originally Posted by Palarran View Post
They don't care if you fish, mostly because there is so little chance of catching anything. Lighting a fire, bad idea. Many of these islands have been seriously torched by fires and will burn quickly. Cook your fish on a grill over coals.
Thank you for your opinion, but what's the legal side?
Maybe fishing is forbidden but officials usually don't care? In that case there is a risk.

And fires - I've seen a video on youtube (can't find it now) where guys were sailing around Greece and were constantly making fires on coast. Of course these were "safe" fires, on sand/rocks, far from any vegetation, etc. So maybe it's legal to make fire if you take all the precautions?

I'm not a pyromaniac but it's kind of cosy to gather around fire in the evening.
steppencat is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-06-2015, 09:14   #4
Elvish meaning 'Far-Wanderer'
 
Palarran's Avatar

Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Boat - Greece - Me - Michigan
Boat: 56' Fountaine Pajot Marquises
Posts: 3,489
Re: Greek laws about fishing and lighting fires

I think, but am not sure, that in the last law that past for taxing boats fishing was made legal. On a practical side, unless you are using nets NO ONE is going to care. It is really hard to catch an edible fish in the Med.

As far as youtube videos, I'm sure it does look nice and maybe they are doing these fires as part of a flotilla, but I've never seen one and think it's a really bad idea and will be hard to execute anywhere. I'd guess locals will freak out on you.
__________________
Our course is set for an uncharted sea
Dante
Palarran is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-06-2015, 09:25   #5
Moderator
 
noelex 77's Avatar

Cruisers Forum Supporter

Join Date: Jul 2007
Boat: Bestevaer.
Posts: 14,678
Re: Greek laws about fishing and lighting fires

I agree about the lack of fish, but a fire on a deserted beach is one of the great joys of cruising. Even without fish baked beans washed down with a nice red taste good when watching the stars come out.

You do need to pick the location carefully, but there are plenty of beaches that you can get to by boat that are unlikely to see another person over the season.

The local fishermen often do just as you suggest, cooking their catch over some coals.

You need some basic campfire skills.






If we manage to catch up Palarran we will share a campfire. We will supply the fire, you bring the red
noelex 77 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-06-2015, 09:35   #6
Registered User

Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 24
Re: Greek laws about fishing and lighting fires

Thank you, noelex77! That's what I mean by a safe fire - in a deserted place, where no one will be disturbed and no locals will be freaked out
steppencat is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-06-2015, 09:40   #7
Moderator
 
noelex 77's Avatar

Cruisers Forum Supporter

Join Date: Jul 2007
Boat: Bestevaer.
Posts: 14,678
Re: Greek laws about fishing and lighting fires

No problems.

Please, please, please take aware all your rubbish, or even better do a bit of cleanup and take away some extra.
noelex 77 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-06-2015, 09:48   #8
Registered User

Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 24
Re: Greek laws about fishing and lighting fires

Quote:
Originally Posted by noelex 77 View Post
Please, please, please take aware all your rubbish, or even better do a bit of cleanup and take away some extra.
Oh, there is no need to tell me about that!
I always do
steppencat is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-06-2015, 10:47   #9
med
Registered User

Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 186
Re: Greek laws about fishing and lighting fires

Quote:
Originally Posted by Palarran View Post
They don't care if you fish, mostly because there is so little chance of catching anything. Lighting a fire, bad idea. Many of these islands have been seriously torched by fires and will burn quickly. Cook your fish on a grill over coals.
Just trailing a line from a catamaran while motoring on from Hyeres to Corsica, about halfway we caught 3 decent sized Tuna within about 3 hours.

We stopped as we had no more space to store them.
med is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-06-2015, 11:08   #10
Moderator
 
noelex 77's Avatar

Cruisers Forum Supporter

Join Date: Jul 2007
Boat: Bestevaer.
Posts: 14,678
Re: Greek laws about fishing and lighting fires

Quote:
Originally Posted by med View Post
Just trailing a line from a catamaran while motoring on from Hyeres to Corsica, about halfway we caught 3 decent sized Tuna within about 3 hours.
That is nothing. I managed to catch this Maxiprop a six months ago. It put up quite a fight.

I think I need some lessons on the edible variety. My record of three tuna in eight years is not great

noelex 77 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-06-2015, 11:10   #11
Elvish meaning 'Far-Wanderer'
 
Palarran's Avatar

Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Boat - Greece - Me - Michigan
Boat: 56' Fountaine Pajot Marquises
Posts: 3,489
Re: Greek laws about fishing and lighting fires

Quote:
Originally Posted by med View Post
Just trailing a line from a catamaran while motoring on from Hyeres to Corsica, about halfway we caught 3 decent sized Tuna within about 3 hours.

We stopped as we had no more space to store them.
I'm not saying it doesn't happen, it's just unusual. We caught two small tuna about 50 miles West of Zakinthos and one amberjack South of Kefalonia. But that's in about 2,000 nm of trolling.
__________________
Our course is set for an uncharted sea
Dante
Palarran is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-06-2015, 08:40   #12
Registered User

Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Mediteranean
Boat: Halberg Rassy 352
Posts: 15
Send a message via AIM to Waboson HR352
Re: Greek laws about fishing and lighting fires

Quote:
Originally Posted by med View Post
Just trailing a line from a catamaran while motoring on from Hyeres to Corsica, about halfway we caught 3 decent sized Tuna within about 3 hours.

We stopped as we had no more space to store them.
This may be the reason there are so few fish to be caught in the Med. catch one fish and enjoy. Fish for the future!
As for fire, we in Australia suffer a great deal from bushfires, for the sake of the people in these areas, cook on gas. Not as romantic but a lot safer which is respect for the locals. It is not the fire itself but rather the embers that can travel quite a distance.
Waboson HR352 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-06-2015, 09:42   #13
Registered User
 
Manos1955's Avatar

Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Thessalonki Greece
Boat: Westerly Centaur 26
Posts: 152
Send a message via Skype™ to Manos1955
Re: Greek laws about fishing and lighting fires

Quote:
Originally Posted by steppencat View Post
Hello everyone!

Does anyone know, is it legal to fish with a rod in greek waters?
If yes, is it possible to rent fishing equipment (particularly in Lefkada)?

And another question: is it legal to light fires on a coast (using dry wood, not cutting any trees)?

It would be cool to catch a fish and grill it in the evening
fishing without permission from a boat is a penalty of law in Greece (big penalty). You can fish from the shore without permit BUT from a boat you must have a permit which you will obtain in LEFKAS from the local coast guard and it is valid for all greek waters. ATTENTION You need one permit for you personally and one for your boat (separate Boat permit). The personal permit is cheap - only a few bucks- and each person on board who is fishing must have one. BUT the boat permit is expensive- yo pay according to the engine horse power.

Also make sure that you ask the coast guard if there are any restricted areas for fishing, usually fish farms, and protected areas. (they will confiscate your boat if you are fishing in a prohibited area) There are many fishes in the Greek Waters- late summer and early fall you will also find a lot of Tuna fish. Check the bottom, shallow waters - rocky bottom - you will certainly find several good quality fishes, like sea bass. Trolling may bring a nice sword fish. Ask the locals, they will help you with the right spots.

You may light a fire on the beach (it is not prohibited) , as long as there are no pine trees near by (they are extremely flammable) and you take all the precautions, like a bucket full of sand (easy) and a bucket full of water (also easy). However if you get drunk and you let the fire to start burning anything near you, and the fire department or the police finds out that it was you who started the fire, then you will face huge penalty and jail time. Greeks are very- very sensitive with fires especially during summer time. Keep the fire low, the flames small, and you may buy very cheap charcoal from a local mini market or supermarket which will make your BBQ better.

Enjoy- I sail the Greek waters for the past 35 years and I will not change this area for anywhere else!!
Manos1955 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-06-2015, 10:45   #14
Moderator
 
noelex 77's Avatar

Cruisers Forum Supporter

Join Date: Jul 2007
Boat: Bestevaer.
Posts: 14,678
Re: Greek laws about fishing and lighting fires

Quote:
Originally Posted by Manos1955 View Post
fishing without permission from a boat is a penalty of law in Greece (big penalty). You can fish from the shore without permit BUT from a boat you must have a permit which you will obtain in LEFKAS from the local coast guard and it is valid for all greek waters. ATTENTION You need one permit for you personally and one for your boat (separate Boat permit). The personal permit is cheap - only a few bucks- and each person on board who is fishing must have one. BUT the boat permit is expensive- yo pay according to the engine horse power.
Thanks for the input, but if my understanding is correct, the requirement for a fishing licence for persons and recreational yachts has been removed.

See this site:
Fishing in Greece | Greece

"Fishing from the shore
No licence is needed to fish from the shore. This can be done with either a rod or a handheld line from a beach or from a harbour or walkway. Greek fishers tend to be respectful of swimmers and, in general, fishing from a beach is practiced late in the evening, or even at night, when there are few people in the water.

Fishing from boats
A fishing licence is no longer required in Greece for amateur and recreational fishing from a boat."


Quote:
Originally Posted by Manos1955 View Post
Enjoy- I sail the Greek waters for the past 35 years and I will not change this area for anywhere else!!
+1 it is a great cruising area do not spoil it.
noelex 77 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-06-2015, 11:33   #15
֍֎֍֎֍֎֍֎֍֎

Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 15,136
Re: Greek laws about fishing and lighting fires

Regardless of legal details, if you keep your fire "enclosed" by using a BBQ kettle or roasting pan, the authorities tend to be happier. That way there is no "charcoal mess" left on their beach, and no question of the fire spreading or being unable to put out.


I've used a large roasting pan, with a stainless grill pulled from an old oven, for years this way. Cheaper than a bbq kettle, doesn't rust, and often available in stainless or enamel from a thrift store for $5 or less.
hellosailor is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
fish, fishing, lighting

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes Rate This Thread
Rate This Thread:

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Boat Fires anjou Health, Safety & Related Gear 23 10-06-2010 22:27
Alcohol Stoves and Fighting Fires gmalan The Sailor's Confessional 41 06-02-2009 10:53
Fires on Board toewsrus Health, Safety & Related Gear 37 01-03-2008 23:41
U.S. Warship Fires Warning Shots Over Vessel Boarded by Pirates Off Somali Coast harpoon5.2 Health, Safety & Related Gear 0 05-06-2007 13:36

Advertise Here


All times are GMT -7. The time now is 07:24.


Google+
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Social Knowledge Networks
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.

ShowCase vBulletin Plugins by Drive Thru Online, Inc.