Severe weather over the past weekend has caused significant damage to fish farms in Liopetri, with losses reported both to infrastructure and stock.
Strong winds and heavy sea conditions battered offshore cages, allowing sea bass and gilthead seabream to escape into open waters. Most of the fish were relatively small and had not yet reached commercial size.
Industry sources told politis.com.cy that the escaped fish weighed between around 300 grams and one kilogram.
The incident prompted an immediate response in the area, with fishermen heading out early on Tuesday (18 March) to spots where shoals had been sighted. Some fish had already been caught from the previous day, although the overall quantities recovered so far are not considered particularly large compared with similar incidents in the past.
Despite the partial recovery, the damage to aquaculture operators is described as substantial. In addition to stock losses, facilities have suffered structural damage requiring urgent repairs.
Concern over fishing practices
Sea bass and gilthead seabream are among the most popular catches for anglers, particularly when they bite easily. However, the situation has also drawn criticism.
Posts on social media suggest that, in some cases, limits were not observed - both in terms of fish size and catch quantities - at a time when stocks are already under pressure.
Industry figures noted that while these fish may not be considered trophy catches, they still offer an enjoyable fishing experience. At the same time, they stressed the importance of responsible practices.
“A little respect for the limits, and returning smaller fish to the sea, is the most important thing - so there will still be fish tomorrow,” they said.
'Expected losses'
The Department of Fisheries and Marine Research said that losses in such circumstances are considered expected, given the intensity of the weather and sea conditions.
Officials added that similar incidents may also have occurred in other areas where aquaculture units operate.