Montenegrin fishermen are on the brink of revolt, and for good reason! Their small fleet is drowning in problems, and the authorities seem deaf to their cries for help. The main issue? There is no dedicated fishing port! While nautical tourism flourishes, fishermen are left without access to proper harbors, and the port at Lazure has been handed over to investors who failed to honor their contracts. Marko Kiše from the National Association of Professional Fishermen of Montenegro doesn’t mince words: “Why does the fishing port serve nautical tourism, while fishermen get no share?”
But that’s not all! Fishermen are demanding a reduction in VAT on the purchase of new boats and materials. Currently, they pay three times more than they should due to high taxes and imports from faraway countries like Thailand, Italy, and Croatia. The Ministry of Finance has rejected their requests, but the fishermen are not backing down.
To make matters worse, cruise ships in the Bay of Kotor scare the fish away and reduce the catch, directly hitting fishermen’s incomes. They are demanding compensation, and if ignored, they threaten radical measures — blocking cruise ships! “We will legitimately draw attention to ourselves and show the world that there are dissatisfied Montenegrin fishermen,” says Kiše.
The fleet is outdated and needs repairs, but many fishermen lack the funds. There is a MIDAS project offering an 80% refund on repair costs, but it’s not enough to solve the problem. The fishermen are desperate, and their fight is far from over. If you think this is just a local issue, think again — this is a fight for the survival of a profession and the preservation of Montenegro’s marine resources.
Got thoughts on this fishing drama? Know a fisherman? Drop a comment below. Has the government failed, or are the fishermen overreacting? Let the debate begin!
