Filenews 26 January 2026 - by Dora Christodoulou
Illegal fishing in Paphos is one of the main problems raised by professional fishermen in the province in their contacts with competent state bodies. Now this activity is confirmed and denounced by other bodies, which speak of increasingly frequent phenomena of illegal fishing even within protected areas, such as the Municipal Baths in Kato Paphos.
Environmental and tourism bodies have recently complained that they have received complaints that amateur fishermen, taking advantage of the absence of bathers or lack of supervision, fish undisturbed with a rod and fishing line in places where it is not allowed. Particular cases of illegality have been reported even after sunset where offenders take advantage of the absence of lifeguards and bathers from various areas.
In addition, they complain that some people with boats drop their nets very close to the buoys and fish almost at the limits of the bathing area with the risk of serious marine accidents while overfishing in the area continues unhindered.
They call on the Ports Authority, the Department of Fisheries and Marine Research and other authorities to activate their services and other supervisory authorities with the aim of combating illegality and improving the conditions prevailing in the area.
