Archaeological evidence has revealed that fishing activities have been practiced for thousands of years. In Cyprus, there is evidence of systematic exploitation of marine resources since humans first inhabited the island’s coast. The diet of our ancestor’s was restricted to fish that were captured using fishing tools made from bones. Murals (wall-paintings) found in caves verify the existence of hand-made fishing nets. Through the passage of time, Cypriots incorporated new food resources through agriculture and farming. Fishing activities have not ceased but instead expanded. New types of fishing vessels and tools were manufactured that resulted in increased catches and access to better fishing grounds. The technological development of the sector, kicked in during the 19th century. The fishing processes were for the first time, industrialized.

Currently the Cypriot fishing fleet includes vessels that carry out small, large scale and pelagic fisheries, and trawls that activate in the national and international waters. All fishing activities must be carried out in accordance with National and International Regulations. The Department of Fisheries and Marine Research (DFMR) of Cyprus is responsible for issuing all licenses and ensuring that all regulations are followed. The Cypriot small-scale fishery is multi-species and accounts for a large proportion of the commercial species that exist in the market. Common species sold in the local market include Spicara smaris, Boops boops, Mullus surmuletus, Μullus barbatus, Thunnus thynnus, Sepια οfficinalis and Octopus sp.

For sustainable fisheries to subsist; it is critical that fishing stocks, population dynamics of commercial and related species are extensively researched and monitored. The exponential growth of human population is placing a heavy load on the fishery sector. Loss of important habitats, pollution and introduced species have adverse impacts on fish populations. Alien marine organisms introduced in the Mediterranean Sea have in some cases caused severe problems to fisheries and local populations of other species. For example, Lagocephalus sp., an Indo-Pacific species, has caused serious problems to fishermen and fishing stocks of Cyprus. CIESM has a list of all recorded alien species found in the Mediterranean Sea.

The decline of our fish stocks is evident. The proof comes directly from observations of veteran fishermen. This decline is credited mostly to overfishing of marine resources which is a widely documented phenomenon. According to FAO, 11 of the world’s 15 most important fishing grounds and 60% of major fish species are diminishing. In the Mediterranean Sea, the populations of blue fin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) have declined and the scientific community attributes the reduction to overfishing. DFMR estimates that wild fish captured in Cyprus coastal waters during 2007 were ~2441 tonnes, 14% higher than 2006. There are a lot of factors that may have caused this increase in wild fish captures. Thunnus alalunga has been extensively fished in 2007. This is perhaps due to the fact that more able and efficient fish vessels are now used. In addition, the fact that many trawling vessels have been withdrawn recently may have had a positive outcome in wild fish population sizes. As a result, more juvenile fish are surviving and the populations of benthic and small pelagic species are increasing. These species may be sustaining several food chains, thus other predatory species may have increased their numbers as there is more food available. Whether this increase in the wild fish captured in 2007 (highest in recent years) is negatively impacting the wild stocks (overfished), has not yet been extensively researched in Cyprus.

There are many other important issues to consider when evaluating our fishing tactics. For example, fishery discards that are defined as “the portion of the total organic material of animal origin in the catch, which is thrown away, or dumped at sea for whatever reason” (FAO, 2005), have been found to negatively affect the marine environment, fishery resources and sector. There is an urgent need to estimate the quantities that are being discarded at local, national and international scale and evaluate the population dynamics of related species, as well as, other ecological impacts.

We think it is of great significance to research the above and in addition take direct measures to allow for the gradual recovery of our fish stocks. A good start could have been increasing public awareness and establishing many protected areas where fishing activities would be forbidden. This has been very successful in other countries where these highly productive protected areas act as fish nursing grounds, enriching neighbouring sites. The need for scientific research and governmental measures is evident to ensure the sustainability of the sector and the conservation of fish populations.

Services that MER can now offer:

• Field data collection, observation and statistical analyses for estimation of marine resources stock in coastal areas of Cyprus
• Age estimation of fish using otolith and spine methods
• Fishery discards data collection and statistical analyses
• Investigation of alien species presence in coastal areas of Cyprus
• Evaluation of population dynamics of fish stocks