Minister Margaritis Schinas demands EU action on invasive species
The Greek government has requested emergency European Union intervention to combat a severe surge of the silver-cheeked toadfish. This highly toxic invasive alien species is spreading rapidly across prominent tourism and fishing zones in the Aegean Sea.
The predator poses an escalating threat through its lethal neurotoxicity and a powerful bite capable of causing severe injuries to humans. Speaking at the EU Agriculture and Fisheries Council in Brussels, Greece underscored the need for a comprehensive European response to support the domestic maritime sectors.
Economic pressures on coastal communities
The Greek Minister of Rural Development and Food, Margaritis Schinas, emphasized that fishing constitutes the economic backbone of the nation's coastal and island regions. This vital sector is currently confronting intense, multi-layered pressures. High fuel costs have already grounded a significant portion of the Greek fishing fleet, a crisis now severely compounded by the ecological disruption caused by the invasive species.
Risks to public safety and tourism
The proliferation of the toxic pufferfish severely damages local marine ecosystems while disrupting commercial fishing activities by shredding nets and consuming catches. Furthermore, the species creates significant operational obstacles for the tourism industry, as authorities have previously documented incidents where swimmers sustained severe physical injuries from fish bites in coastal waters.
Athens has urged the European Commission to deploy immediate countermeasures, noting that the biological invasion affects the wider Mediterranean basin. In parallel, Greek authorities are advancing local population-control initiatives while awaiting formal policy and funding approval from the European Union.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
