Fishing within the Georgian territorial waters is an important activity with exports along associated activities such as fish processing activity. The fishing fleet however is small in size and old, and currently under restructuring. There are the following three medium-term priorities regarding fishing:
- Improving and enhancing monitoring and control of fishing activities and of trade in fisheries products and their traceability, in order to effectively fight Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated fishing (IUU fishing);
- Taking necessary steps to achieve sustainable fisheries in the Black Sea, both in bilateral and multilateral frameworks on the basis of an ecosystem approach to fisheries management;
- Increasing scientific and technical co-operation with a view to ensure the capacity of monitoring fisheries based on sound and reliable data, and of evaluating the state of marine resources and of the marine environment.
Fishing in the Black Sea at 300 meters and over of its shore is subject to licensing. The fishing license holder is obliged to follow the fishing terms, quotas and rules adopted by the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture. Every year, based on scientific research, fishery resources are evaluated and capture quotas for license holders are determined. For commercial Fishing 10-year licences are issued by the National Environmental Agency. Every year the annual fish quotas are approved by the NEA based on a survey conducted by the Fisheries and Black Sea Monitoring Department. Fishing from 300m from shore includes 9 fishing licences for 53 vessels. Coastal fishing is allowed up to 1 mile (1,852m) from shore, according to the established rules for fishing by Government Decree 423 on fishing rules. Special areas that are used by bottom-trawls for fishing, are designated by Government Decree 423 on fishing rules. These areas are Batumi, Poti, and Kulevi Ports-anchoring area.
Georgia is actively cooperating with the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) as a ‘Cooperating non-contracting party. Cooperation concerns both the implementation of the multi-annual strategy and of GFCM management measures.
It should be noted that the fishing industry today are renting fishing ships from other countries, because Georgian ships are in dire conditions. Today, Georgia has 30 fishing vessels where under 500 fishermen and seafarers are employed. Due to relatively sub-standard fishing vessels existing on the local market, fishermen and seafarers are not able to get retrained.
Moreover, the Government has recently introduced legislation for the regulation of aquaculture in the territorial waters of Georgia. However, a development strategy for aquaculture, which will support the growth of this sector in Georgia is not yet adopted.
Based on Country Report in the framework of the 4BIZ project.
