The damage caused to European and Greek fisheries by the rapid spread of the rabbitfish was highlighted in a speech to the Plenary Session of the European Parliament by by New Democracy and EPP MEP Mr. Frenis Beleris.
Specifically, Mr. Beleris emphasized that “the rabbitfish decimates catches and destroys fishing gear, thereby increasing the already high costs for our fishermen,” adding that “the European Parliament’s Resolution of March 10, 2026, on invasive alien species, for which I served as the EPP’s rapporteur, and the need to revise the Common Fisheries Policy are steps in the right direction. But they are not enough!”
Mr. Beleris emphatically stated that ‘the European Commission must immediately ensure that more European funds are made available for the modernization of the fleet and the renewal of fishing equipment, in the hope that this will put an end to people leaving the profession. Targeted funding is needed for the damage caused by cetaceans, invasive species, and plankton.”
“Fishermen are an integral part of European culture. They support remote and coastal areas, as well as our islands. We cannot leave them on their own,” he concluded emphatically.
