Reforms in the management of alien species
A new study with the participation of iSea, led by Cypriot and Greek scientists, proposes major changes in the management of marine alien species in the Mediterranean Sea Read more
NGOs, Universities and activists urge the Tunisian state to protect Great White Sharks
Two unfortunate incidents took place recently in Tunisia, where 2 individuals of Great White Shark (Carcharodon carcharias) were landed and sold in the local markets. The sharks were captured as bycatch. This follows other such incidents reported in 2018, 2015, 2013, 2012 and 2009. Landings of White Sharks contravene the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) measure protecting this species and all other shark and ray species listed on Annex II of the Barcelona Convention Protocol concerning the Specially Protected Areas and Biological Diversity in the Mediterranean. Read more
Launch of our new project “Updating the Greek National Chondrichthyans Checklist”
At least 63 species of chondrichthyans are found in Greek seas; nevertheless, our knowledge about their exact number and spatial distribution is limited, and thus further research is required to fill the gaps. Robust and up-to-date information is necessary for the development of effective and evidence-based chondrichthyan conservation actions and will ease the creation of a valid Red List for the species within the Greek waters. Read more
Mediterranean Angel Sharks: SubRegional Action Plan in Aegean Sea and Crete
The pictured shark is an angel shark. Angel sharks are flat-bodied bottom-dwelling sharks and their family is considered to be one the most endangered in the world. In the Mediterranean Sea, 3 species of angel sharks exist the Sawback Angelshark, the Smooth back Angelshark, and the Angelshark their Mediterranean population has been classified as Critically Endangered by the IUCN, due to the severe decline in their population as well as to localised extinctions. In Greece, all the 3 Mediterranean species are extant. Read more
The presence of Tripletail in Greece and Cyprus
In the context of our project Is it Alien to you? Share it!!! in addition to recordings of alien species, we further collect observations of rare Mediterranean species, sent to us by citizen scientists.New case of illegal shark fishing in Greece
Another case of illegal fishing of a protected species of elasmobranch has come to our attention after a friend of iSea posted an article of viannitika.gr news site in the group Is it Alien to You? Share it!!!. The article (now removed from the website) included photos of a professional fisher from Crete exhibiting a captured and landed individual of Isurus oxyrinchus (SMA), Shortfin Mako with the title “A scary but … delicious capture”. Read more
Letter of complaint by iSea for the displaying of a protected Blackchin guitarfish
Recently, an incident of illegal fishing of a protected Blackchin guitarfish individual from Chios sent to us by a supporter of iSea. The legal department of the organisation, after contacting the relevant port authority, sent the following letter with a view to triggering all necessary actions that would clarify the case.
Another scientific publication in the context of the project Is it Alien to You?…Share it!!!
Many times in the context of Is it Alien to You?…Share it!!! citizen scientists send us their observations of species that are not alien but rare. Yesterday we published a paper that contributes 25 new records of five data-limited species in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. More specifically the species are:
- Alectis alexandrina
- Ranzania laevis
- Dalatias licha
- Lophotus lacepede
- Sudis hyalina
MARINE ECOMED #3 Project Meeting
In the context of MARINE ECOMED Project, the 3rd meeting was conducted on 27 January in IUAV. Read more
New alien species with Atlantic origins recorded for the first time in the Mediterranean
New alien species, native to the western Atlantic, captured by a professional fisherman in Isthmia, Argosaronic Gulf. A friend of the fisher contacted the Is it Alien to you…. Share it!!! team. The individual identified as Chaetodipterus faber (Atlantic spadefish) and the specimen sent to iSea for further study. Today the scientific publication published, which confirms the first record of the species in the Mediterranean and thus in the Greek waters.
Given the absence Atlantic spadefish records across the Atlantic countries near the Strait of Gibraltar, but also in the Western and Central Mediterranean, we suspect the specimen was released or escaped from an aquarium, as the species is popular in the ornamental fish industry. In fact, we have recently received additional recordings of the species from nearby areas, indicating that more individuals of the species may have been released in the area.
The last years, there is an increase in the number of reported alien species that are suspected to be introduced by an aquarium release. Such a trend must recall the attention of national authorities and relevant stakeholders for advancing their efforts for the implementation of the Regulation (EU) No 1143/2014 “on the prevention and management of the introduction and spread of invasive alien species” that applies to all EU countries.
Find the full publication here.