WOLVES OF THE SEA

You do not live on land, you live on the sea.

THANASIS TANTANIS

Done. Over. That’s it! No one is learning this craft anymore.

PETROS ALIPRANTIS

We are only a few left, and also only a few wooden boats.

PETROS ALIPRANTIS

When I pull the net in, dolphins and sea lions
swim alongside the boat and accompany me.

FILIPPAS TSANTANIS

My children want me to stop but I told them that if they love me
they have to let me go. My whole life is the sea.

THANASIS TANTANIS

Greece has the largest number of fishing boats in the EU which is mainly due to the numerous individual fishermen. But by European standards, the catches are rather low.

The EU’s entire fleet is too large compared to the available amount of fish that can be caught in European waters. One of the central elements of the Common Fisheries Policy was the reduction and rejuvenation of the fleet.

The self disarmament of national fleets was a key element of the European fisheries policy. The EU developed programmes and put money at their disposal. The implementation was determined by each country. The Greek government developed incentives for handing over fishing licenses (mainly licenses for amateur fishing) and at the same time fishermen had to destroy their boats. Meanwhile this incentives has been stopped.

As a result, thousands of boats have been destroyed since the 1990s, mainly the traditional wooden boats owned by individual fishermen. The reality is that the Greek bureaucracy is responsible for the destruction of traditional boats and a part of the national identity.

DESTRUCTION

Look, we need to preserve this tradition,
because if it continues like this they will destroy it.

VASSILAROS

If I do not see any sea, I do not live. If I had to stay in Athens,
I would not even survive a whole twenty-four hours.
I would go crazy.

VAGGELIS PAROUSIS

At the age of eighteen I became a sailor and travelled the world as a radio operator. Not because of romantic reasons, but at that time there was nothing to do here. My boat has saved me. It was my anchor that brought me back to Paros and with which I was able to build my life.
So that I could escape from a life as a sailor.
This boat is my love.

PETROS DELENTAS

For me, the plastic boats are not real boats.
They are wash troughs, with which you will sink.
In a storm, the wooden boat is like a horse that lifts his head proudly, starts running and can not be stopped.

THANASIS TANTANIS

A fisherman´s plate could be empty for seven days, but on the eight day you will be compensated for the others.
Fishing requires will, knowledge and patience.

KOSTANTINOS STRATIS

The work is difficult and the income less than before,
so there is no attraction for a new generation.
I have always been a fisherman - not out of necessity, but out of choice.

NIKITAS MALAMATENIOS

She travels well and the boat will show you
that she is alive and loves life, just as humans do.

ALEXANDROS KRITSALIS