Mr. Dimitris Sakatis is one of the fishers of the “Fishing For Litter” project who has been active for the last 22 years in the area of Kavala, following his father’s job like most of them.

Q: We would like you to describe us a day at sea!

DS: The trawl begins at 4:00 a.m. You always start out hoping that you will have a good catch but you never know what you will encounter. The weather conditions determine the mood and the work that follows. Depending on the weather, the conditions can be either easy or difficult; in any case you make it a priority to return safely to the port!

Q: What differences do you notice in the amount of marine litter compared to the past?

DS: The amount of litter, especially plastic, has increased near the beaches. At least 20% of the litter every day will come into the sea and into our nets because of the wind.

Q: What is the strangest type of litter you have removed from the sea?

DS: A fridge!

Q: What does the sea mean to you and what does its protection?

DS: The sea means love and the boat offers you time for your self. You’re dealing with the water and the air, wondering what might be in there. Protecting the sea affects everyone’s future. A chemical discharge destroys the marine environment and the fish.

Q: What is the message you would like to pass along the world?

DS: Be careful what you throw into the sea if you want to keep eating fish!

iSea’s «Fishing For Litter» project is implemented for 6 years in a row, in lots of different areas in Greece, in collaboration with the A C Laskaridis Charitable Foundation. The ambassadors of this project, the professional fishers who actively support the effort of collecting and recording marine litter from the sea all over the country, talk about the nature of their job and share their experience and thoughts about the project.

We would like to thank all the fishers who cooperated with us, for a more effective implementation of the “Fishing For Litter” project and give a personal touch to this effort.