Greece commits to sea protection

Gov't announces marine parks in Aegean, Ionian, and trawling ban in specific areas from 2026

In view of the ninth international conference on oceans, “Our Ocean,” on April 16 and 17 in Athens, the government announced on Monday the first three of Greece's 20 commitments, concerning the creation of marine parks in the Aegean and Ionian seas and a ban on trawling in protected areas from 2026.

The conference is an international institution, launched in 2014 at the initiative of former US secretary of state John Kerry, which takes place every year in a different country, trying to bring to the fore issues related to the protection of the seas and to elicit commitments from governments and market players.

Environment Minister Thodoris Skylakakis confirmed last week's report by Kathimerini regarding the creation of two large-scale new marine parks in the Aegean and Ionian seas.

“One will be for the protection of marine mammals in the Ionian Trench. It will include 12 Natura sites and also areas outside Natura. The second one will be in the Aegean Sea and will concern the protection of marine mammals and seabirds. Their exact boundaries will be defined after a specific scientific study, not defined in political terms. These studies will also determine the permitted uses,” he said.

Asked by Kathimerini what the relationship will be between the new national marine park in the Ionian Sea and the hydrocarbon reservoir “Block 10,” off the Kyparissia Gulf, Skylakakis left open the possibility of abandoning it. He stressed that all of the commitments have secured funding while noting that the marine parks will have “a state-of-the-art surveillance system with drones and radars transmitting real-time information, as well as intervention vessels.”

The other initiative announced on Monday concerns fishing. Rural Development Minister Lefteris Avgenakis said that trawling in the country's national parks – the existing one of Alonissos and the two new ones – will be prohibited from 2026. He made no reference to the marine park off Zakynthos.

The measure, he added, will gradually extend to the remaining protected marine areas by 2030. In addition to the national parks, fishing will not be allowed in a zone around the future offshore wind farms.

Avgenakis referred to the 122 remaining trawlers (they have been withdrawn almost throughout the EU) and stated that they will not be given another extension, beyond the current withdrawal schedule.