Mr Emmanouil Kardamilas is one of the fishers that are part of the “Fishing for Litter” project that takes action in the North Aegean and more specifically in Thermaikos. He’s 45 years old and started his occupation with fishing by following his father’s work path. 

R: How many years have you worked as a fisherman? How did your occupation with fishing begin?

EK: From October 1990, I took on my father’s percentage in the boat and started working together with my father’s two partners. After 8 years because of my second professional activity, I left the fishing boat up until 2022 when I finally bought the boat from the other two partners, I only did the general management of the boat. Now, I have a captain who works exclusively at the fishing boat.

R: What differences do you notice regarding the amount of waste compared to the past?

EK: I don’t have a clear picture because I am not on the boat anymore.

R: What kind of waste you’ve collected has made the biggest impression on you?

EK: A metal cart with a wire rope, with which they used to place the mines.

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

EK: The sea is my life. Its protection should be a way of life and behavior for all humanity.

R: What is the message you want to pass along the world?

EK: If we all try a bit it’s easy to change things, to protect the sea.

iSea’s «Fishing For Litter» program 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 program, the professional fishermen who actively support the effort of collecting and recording aquatic litter from the sea all over the country, talk about the nature of their profession and share their experience and thoughts about the program.

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