Mr Konstantinos Giannoukas is one of the fishers of the “Fishing For Litter” project. He takes action in Dodecanese, he’s 45 years old and joined the fishing field at the age of 17. 

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

KG: My father was a fisherman and I joined his occupation at the age of 17. 

R: Could you describe a day in the sea?

KG: Our boat has become an integrant part of our lives, it kinda feels like a second home. Sometimes I go to drink my coffee on the boat even if its tied at the port. I can’t stand to be away from the sea for more than ten days.  Days at sea can be joyful but also difficult. A good catch motivates me and keeps me going, but there are also days with storms and bad weather, these are the hard ones.

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

KG: Litter that is bulky and sinks has been collected and continues to be collected, which means that it has decreased over the years. Floating waste, such as bags and gelatins, were found in larger amounts compared to the past, giving the feeling that they are never ending.

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

KG: The main body of a helicopter. We dragged it outside and was taken by the local museum. 

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

KG: The sea is our life. I feel like a sick man that doesn’t have enough oxygen to survive, whenever I’m away from it. As for its protection, it’s understood that if we do not protect it, it’s like we’re not protecting our own life. We do everything we can because our future depends on it.

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

KG: To take care of the sea in the same way they’re protecting their home! 

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.