The rich seas surrounding the peninsula of Athos is providing the pots and pans of monks with fresh fish and seafood

We have plenty of sargus, bluefish, mormyrus, helonaria (big grey mullets with a slab head), sea bass, cod, etc." - the monk Nikitas, who comes from a family of fishermen, attempts to synthesize the fish geography of the area. "You can find mussels towards Vatopei, shrimps from Esphingos and beyond. At this time of year and until the end of April it has a lot of cuttlefish. On the other hand, in Daphne, it has squids and European flying squid." He even talks to us about the polyphades, a kind of jellyfish, which they make into meatballs with onion, dill and toast. A fisherman from one generation to the other Father Akakios himself, we met him at Mylopotamos, while he was preparing to throw the boat into the water to collect the nets he had thrown the night before. In one hour he returns and begins collecting the fish. At the same time, he talks about the decrease in fish stocks and the difficulties of coastal fishing: "Sea wants good maintenance, the time it should. Fish take a long time to grow. If they get caught small, what's left? Nothing. So no need to say much. They can protect fishing truly. Not like now. They let fishing with the trawlers all year round. But it's going to be a disaster. In April, the cod breeds and the trawlers work until the end of May. Coastal fishermen are not allowed to catch the cod, but their trawlers are."