July 1966 



COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 



69 



Greece (Contd.): 



PROCESSED FISHERY PRODUCTS 

 PRODUCTION AND FOREIGN TRADE. 1965: 



Summary ^ Greece produces small quanti- 

 ties of canned fish, salted fish, sea sponges, 

 and fish meal. Fish meal production started 

 in 1965 for the first time in Greece with the 

 acquisition of a factoryship from the Soviet 

 Union. Production of processed fishery prod- 

 ucts is still limited, however, and Greek im- 

 ports of fishery products greatly exceed her 

 fishery exports. 



Processing : CANNING: The Greek fish- 

 canning industry consists of two small fac- 

 tories (one in Thessaloniki and one at Myrina 

 on Lemnos Island), which can sardines, 

 mackerel, and octopus. Both also can veg- 

 etables. Two small factories (one at Chrys- 

 soupolis in Macedonia and one at Orel on 

 Euboea Island) discontinued fish canning in 

 1965. Greek canned fish production in 1964- 

 1965 is estimated as follows: 



Item 



Mackerel (in oil or tomato) 

 Sardines (in sauce or oil . , 

 Octopus. 



Total 



1965 



1964 



, (Metric Tons) . 



22 



123 



20 



165 



227 

 68 

 46 



341 



Greek production of canned fish has been 

 decreasing because of foreign competition. 

 The plans of the Hellenic Industrial Develop- 

 ment Bank (ETVA) to establish a pilot fish- 

 canning factory at Cavala have not yet ma- 

 terialized. 



SALTING: This is done in many small, 

 unmechanized establishments in coastal lo- 

 calities all over Greece, chiefly in Cavala, 

 Thessaloniki, Volos, and on the islands of 

 Euboea and Mitylene. The Greek Ministry of 

 Industry, which has responsibility over fish- 

 ing, has estimated salted fish production in 

 1965 at 4,500-5,000 tons, the same as in 1964. 



SPONGES: These are Greece's most im- 

 portant processed fishery product, and the 

 principal processed fishery export. Accord- 

 ing to the Ministry of Industry, Greek sponge 

 production amounted to 69 tons in 1965, as 

 compared with 98 tons in 1964. Decreased 

 production was chiefly due to the difficulty in 

 enrolling crews. Sponge fishing in 1965 was 

 carried out in Greek, Libyan, Tunisian, and 

 Cypriot waters. 



FISH MEAL: Production of fish meal in 

 Greece started for the first time in late 1965, 



when the 3, 170 -ton factory trawler Rea (for- 

 merly the Krylov ) was purchased from the 

 Soviets by Greek interests. About 100 tons 

 of fish meal were produced in 1965. Another 

 five large fishing vessels have been ordered 

 from the U.S.S.R. by Greek interests. The 

 first of these vessels, the 3,800-ton Thetis, 

 was delivered in January 1966, and a second 

 is expected to be delivered during 1966. An- 

 nual production capacity of these 3 vessels is 

 placed at 1,000 tons of fish meal and some 

 fish oil. (It is believed the vessels will also 

 freeze fish.) There are no shore-based fish 

 meal factories in Greece. 



General Information : MARKETING AND 

 RESEARCH: Work on the fish markets in 

 Piraeus, Thessaloniki, Patras, Chalkis, and 

 Cavala is nearing completion, and all five 

 fish markets are expected to go into opera- 

 tion in 1966. Work on the fish naarket at 

 Volos has been delayed, and is now expected 

 to be completed in 1967. 



Greek Law No. 4482, dated June 11, 1965, 

 provides for the establishment by the Greek 

 Government of an Institute for Oceanographic 

 and Fishing Research. 



Foreign Trade : EXPORTS: Greek exports 

 of fishery products, except sponges, totaled 

 3,483 tons (US$1,602,400) in 1965, as com- 

 pared with 3,185 tons ($1,279,800) in 1964. 

 The difference was chiefly due to increased 

 exports of fresh and frozen fish. Exports of 

 canned and salted fish in 1965 were slightly 

 higher than in 1964 (1,293 tons versus 996 

 tons). Sponge exports amounted to 106 tons 

 ($2,496,900) in 1965 (of which 93 tons were 

 bleached or otherwise processed) as com- 

 pared with 114 tons ($2,529,200) in 1964. 



IMPORTS: Greece imported a total of 

 55,084 tons of fishery products valued at $16.9 

 million in 1965 as compared with 44,216 tons 

 valued at $13.2 million in 1964. Imports in 

 1965 included: fresh, frozen, or salted fish 

 24,150 tons ($8.6 million); canned fish 14,960 

 tons ($5.8 million); sea sponge 9 tons ($77,000); 

 and fish and meat meals 15,965 tons ($2.5 

 million). 



Greek fishery imports from the United 

 States in 1965 included: canned fish 4,590 tons 

 ($1,140,100) of which 4,382 ($1,068,300) were 

 canned squid; and fish and meat meals 100 

 tons ($13,934). (U.S. Embassy, Athens, May 

 18, 1966.) 



