From April 2024 until today, 80 fishing vessels have been modernised, whilst, for the first time, small-scale coastal fishing professionals have been able to benefit from grant schemes covering 100 per cent of eligible expenditure, with no private contribution required, Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and the Environment, Christos Senekis said addressing the 1st Fish Festival – Fishermen’s and the Liopetri River Festival on Thursday evening. He added that the compensation scheme for damage caused to fish catches by dolphins and other protected marine mammals is continuing, supporting around 300 professional fishermen each year, whilst ‘since the scheme came into effect in 2025, compensation totalling pound 1 million has already been paid out, whilst total support is expected to reach pound 4 million by 2029.
He added that, at the same time, targeted measures are being implemented to support fishermen’s incomes and address the day-to-day challenges they face. ‘This includes compensation for the temporary suspension of fishing activities, as well as support for the collection and removal of pufferfish,’ the Minister said.
He also emphasised that the support measures are adapted to changing circumstances which are creating new pressures on the sector, explaining that, in view of the energy crisis arising from the situation in the Middle East, “we have gone ahead with implementing a financial compensation scheme for the cost of diesel used in agriculture.”
Regarding to the co-funded project to develop the Liopetri River Fishing Shelter, he stated that “this is one of the largest infrastructure projects for the Cypriot fishing industry, which will substantially upgrade the infrastructure and operations of the coastal zone, whilst also generating benefits for the economy of the wider region.”
He acknowledged that ‘the project’s progress has not been without difficulties.” The implementation of a project of this scale and complexity, he explained, “presented challenges along the way, which affected the initial timetable and, inevitably, the daily lives of the region’s professional fishermen.”
“We are aware of this reality and the difficulties they have faced,” he noted.
Senekis added that work is now “back on track”. As he said, work on the construction of roads and pavements has already been completed, while the port works are expected to be finished in the first half of 2027, followed by the completion of the building facilities.
At the same time, he noted that progress on the project must be accompanied by “substantial support for the people affected by its prolonged implementation period.” In this context, support for each eligible professional fisherman has been significantly increased for the years 2025 and 2026, he said.
The Agriculture Minister expressed his confidence that, upon completion of the project, “our fishermen will now have at their disposal a safe haven with all the modern and necessary infrastructure and facilities that will substantially improve the conditions under which they practise their profession.”