Coast Guard sources are responding to reports today of alleged fishing by Turkish fishing vessels in Greek territorial waters. As they say, “every year at this time we have the same phenomenon, and we repeat the same thing so as not to create false impressions.”

Sources note that “during May, Turkish and Albanian tugboats cross the Aegean and Ionian Seas respectively and pull empty cages heading for the central Mediterranean. These tugs operate at low speeds (2-3 knots), must be licensed by the ICCAT and sail into the central Mediterranean to transport live bluefin tuna to cages to be caught by licensed purse seiners. Then, around the end of June, they will cross the Aegean again to ferry the tuna to the fattening farms in Turkey. Over the past two weeks, these tugs have been intercepted by both air and sea assets of the Hellenic Coast Guard.”

In addition, the sources add that “sometimes Turkish fishing boats pass at speed with a destination in the Central Mediterranean. Turkish tugboats do not start from Greece, they usually move in groups (5-6 boats) and, if necessary, due to weather conditions, anchor off the coast. On May 18, the campaign of the Joint Development Plan (JDP) began under the coordination of the European Fisheries Control Agency (EFCA), in which our country also participates to control the fishing of bluefin tuna in the Mediterranean.