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The Aegean Sea has over 500 species of fish and the good news for recreational fishermen is that fishing from the shores of a river or the sea does not require special permits. 

You will not be able to avoid this procedure if you have decided to fish with spear or from a boat at sea. Then it is necessary to obtain a fishing permit, which is issued by name and can be taken from any port in Greece. For the permit you need to prepare your passport, two photos and €20 revenue stamps, which can be purchased from the Port Office. 

The permit is valid for two years for all over Greece, but every time the fisherman changes his location from one area in the country to another he must endorse his ticket from the local port, as otherwise he would risk a fine. Of course, the permit is prohibited from being used by another person. But let me repeat again – fishing without a permit is allowed from shore with a fishhook or with bait only. 

Prohibited all around the country is fishing with dynamite or plant chemicals that paralyze or kill fish. Penalties for violators of this rule are strict - if authorities catch the offender for the first time he can be sent to jail for a period of 5 months to 3 years, he can be fined and his vessel can be confiscated. In case anyone is caught breaking the law and fishing with dynamite, the penalties are even more stringent. 

Recreational fishing permit is issued to fishermen wishing to fish with spear or from a boat at sea. They were prohibited from using fishing nets because they need to get a professional fishermen permit in order to do so. 

Each fisherman is entitled to catch no more than five kilos of fish per day (24 hours), except in cases where only one fish is heavier than five kilos. "Port authorities monitor compliance with the weight limits because they are pressed by professional fishermen," says Yiannis Alexiou, who is engaged in recreational fishing for 40 years. He and most Greeks who live near the sea, have their own boat, with which they go out at sea to fish. His greatest achievement was twenty years ago when he caught two Common Sea Breams and each weighed seven kilograms. "This happens once in a lifetime and surely your wife had cheated on you the night before, without you realizing it," laughs Mr. Yannis’ best friend while remembering a whole flock of Sea Breams passing under the boat. 

Prohibited for recreational fishermen: 

Fishing with light sources. 

Fishing from a vessel in lagoons or in breeding ponds. 

Capturing shellfish - clams, crabs, oysters, and corals. 

Sale of catch. 

Fishing with nets. 

Spear fishing users should also be aware of the prohibitions and rules of the sport, imposed by the law. Spear users, who fish in an open sea must be equipped with yellow buoy, which has a yellow flag, a diagonal red line with inscribed "Υ.Δ." (Underwater Activity) on it. This is necessary for the security of the fisherman, and under normal conditions the buoy should be visible from at least 300 meters and the spear fisherman must move within 50 meters around it. 

Prohibited for fishing with a spear: 

Throughout the month of May of every year. 

Immediately after sunset. 

Children younger than 16 years old. 

A distance of not less than 200 meters from places where people usually swim. 

A distance of not less than 200 meters from places where port operations are carried out, there are ships or other vessels and fishing nets 

A distance of not less than 200 meters from places where ships anchor. 

In sea areas, where ships and boats are passing as well as entrances to ports. 

Spear fishermen are forbidden to remove bait from the hook of other fishermen and their spear should not be loaded when they are out of the sea. 

It is forbidden to use oxygen bottles or other means of breathing underwater. From this prohibition are excluded cases of research or other activities relating to fisheries, if authorized by the Minister of Agriculture, but is only for a specified period and certain areas. 

It is forbidden to use underwater light and to catch fish lighter than 150 grams.