According to national production records the Greek Fisheries in the Aegean, Ionian and Mediterranean seas landed a total of 89 000 T of fresh fish in 1981; frozen fish accounted for 18.500T, while production from lagoons and inland waters amounted 12.500T.
Tab. 1 Fisheries total production in Greece 1981
| Fresh Mediterranean fish | 89.000t |
| Frozen fish | 18.500t |
| Lagoons and inland waters (incl. aquaculture) | 12.500t |
| 120.000t |
In 1981 the value of the corresponding production, 120.000t has been estimated as 10.576 millions Gr. Dr., ie. 0,6% of the Gross National product.
According to the available figures not less than 30.000 people are employed in the fishery sector, ie. 0,9% of the total employed population.
The above figures give an average salary of 352.533 Gr. Dr. per fisherman.
Out of the total figure there are 4.050 people employed in lagoons and inland waters; 1975 of these are involved in fish farming and lagoon exploitation.
Tab. 2 Total landings and value of Greek fisheries. 1979–1984
| 1974 | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | |
| Tons | 127.900 | 126.500 | 120.000 | 115.500 | 11.000 | 105.900 |
| 000 DR | 6.900 | 8.342 | 10.576 | 18.295 | 22.137 | N.A |
In the period 1979–1984 there is a 17,2% decrease in the quantities landed, while in the period 1979–1983 the value of landings increased by 192, 6%.
Even considering the usual uncertainties linked to the official statistics, there are evident and increasing difficulties in meeting the consumers' demand for a domestic product. A potential source of increased domestic supply are the coastal lagoons and sheltered inshore areas suitable for aquaculture. Lagoons only cover more than 50.000 ha At the time of the study the production of the lagoons was roughly estimated at 1200tons / year. Producers are either small scale fishermen or cooperatives which practise the traditional trapping and harvesting (bordigue) system. The fish, produced through modern brackish water cultures, are insignificant, although several large units are planned, involving considerable investments, for the near future. A small training and demonstration unit (in Kyparissi) will commence operations in 1986, with MEDRAP assistance. Domestic capacities in the field of training, R. D. are to date insufficient; local aquaculturists have mostly been trained abroad.
As expected, imports of fish products have been continuously increasing in the last few years.
During the period 1978–1981 imports of fresh and frozen fish. molluscs and crustaceans showed an increase of 100,8% and the relative value rose by 345,9% in the same period.
However, considering each single species group it appears that most of the overall increase is due to imported fresh and frozen fish. As a matter of fact the quantitiy of fish imported has shown a dramatic increase of 192,9% and in terms of value of 635,2%.
In contrast molluscs and crustaceans have shown an increase of only 38,7% (171, 1% in value).
Tab. 3 Imports of fish products in Greece
| 1978 | 1979 | 1980 | 1981 | |||||
| T | 000 DR | T | 000 DR | T | 000 DR | T | 000 DR | |
| Fresh and frozen fish | 13668 | 146 507 | 8277 | 576472 | 8983 | 724917 | 10744 | 1077114 |
| Fresh and frozen molluscs and crustaceans | 5440 | 242 402 | 4935 | 242526 | 4053 | 280412 | 7548 | 657299 |
| Total | 9108 | 388 909 | 13212 | 818998 | 13036 | 1005329 | 18292 | 1734413 |
Source : Greek customs
Even if Greek statistics do not breakdown total imports by species it is well known that the consumer demand in Greece is mainly directed towards the most expensive species, ie. sea bass, sea bream, and sole, whose domestic production is Limited. Since the continental shelf does not allow the catch of domestic of demersal fish, the increase in the domestic supply of these species relies on the rational development of lagoons management and aquaculture.
On the other hand exports, even if small in comparison to imports, show some interesting aspects :
The third of the exported fish is eel; of the poor countries which import these species, Italy absorbs 55%
70% of the exported molluscs and crustaceans are flat oysters; of the total volume exported Spain absorbs 88%.
For the above products there is certainly a - seasonal-market. Markets for other species, such as sea bass and sea bream exist as well at the moment. Future marketability will be determined however, by various factors, i.e (1) the over all supply situation (including domestic supplies) in the countries, (2) The production cost of the product and (3) the inflation rate of the national economy. The export of eel in 1985 became mutually profitable only on account of the devaluation of the national currency, for example.
