Approval for the implementation of «Become kookoonari: An experiential project to create zero-waste schools» by the Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs

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The program “Become kookoonari: An experiential program to create zero waste schools” has been approved by the Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs for its implementation in primary education.

The program aims to promote waste reduction through experiential workshops and educational activities for adults and children!

Last year the program was piloted at the 10th Komotini Kindergarten with the participation of students, teachers, and parents. Participants took part in actions, to adopt zero waste practices at school, but also at home! Students participated in games and actions, by hosting zero-waste events and by composting. Parents participated in the experiential workshops as well, in order to get waste reuse ideas.

Sharks and rays at extinction risk in the Mediterranean Sea

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An international team of marine biologists published today a Letter entitled “Mediterranean sharks and rays need action” in the prestigious Science magazine. The article presents some food for thought for policy makers and the general public on a topical issue for the entire Mediterranean region: the fight against illegal unregulated and unreported fishing and the protection of sharks and rays at risk of extinction.

“Social platforms have succeeded where political pressure and diplomacy had not yet managed to” says Prof. Marco Milazzo, professor of Ecology at the University of Palermo, and first author of the article. “The recent publication on social media of images and videos of protected sharks sold in chunks in the markets of Monastir and Kelibia in Tunisia, has led several local and international organizations to raise a formal protest against the Tunisian government. Fortunately, the answer was not long in coming, and pending a review of national legislation, a ban on fishing, landing and marketing of various sharks and rays species at high risk of extinction in the Mediterranean was promulgated”.

The recent measures taken by the Tunisian government could finally help to change the Mediterranean fisheries policy scenario, triggering a cascading effect on the lethargic action of other coastal countries, including many EU ones, which are among the main exporters and importers of shark meat globally. The actions, in accordance with the roadmap of the European Green Deal, must concern the effective fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, controls in ports and processing industries, and increase traceability and seafood security (sharks are sold as swordfish in various markets in Italy and Greece), but also the creation of international sanctuaries for the protection of sharks and rays at risk of extinction.

“North African waters host elasmobranch aggregations and high diversity of species, many of which are at risk of extinction. Contrasting deliberate fishing of sharks and rays in these areas represents a crucial step for the effectiveness of conservation action”, says Dr. Carlo Cattano, researcher at the Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, National Institute of Marine Biology, Ecology and Biotechnologies in Sicily.

Sharks and rays that are listed as Endangered (EN) or Critically Endangered (CR) in the Mediterranean Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) are landed in ports and marketed in Mediterranean countries. The rare guitarfish (Rhinobatos rhinobatos) (A) in Libya, the spiny butterfly ray (Gymnura altavela) (B) and mako shark (Isurus oxyrinchus) (C) in Greece.

“According to the FAO official statistics, Tunisia has the largest North African fishing fleet, second only to Libya for shark fishing in the Mediterranean, and North African countries land 70% of Mediterranean elasmobranchs catches. However, these data are largely overlooked”, adds  Ioannis Giovos, researcher of iSea and the University of Patras in Greece.

The continuing political instability and armed conflict in some countries along with the recent pandemic have drastically shrunk the economy of North African countries, with tourism collapsing. “There is an evident increase in illegal fishing in these countries due to the higher demand for shark meat globally and subsistence fishing. All the above, set Mediterranean elasmobranchs in a greater risk of extinction than before and we must act before its too late” concludes Sara Al Mabruk, researcher at the Marine Biology in Libya society.

Milazzo M., Cattano C., Al Mabruk S.A.A., Giovos I. (2021) Mediterranean sharks and rays need action. Science, 371(6527), pp. 355-356. DOI: 10.1126/science.abg1943
LINK: https://science.sciencemag.org/content/371/6527/355.2

The “Fishing For Litter” project continues in 2021!

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Following the successful course of the “Fishing For Litter” project, the A.C. Laskaridis Charitable Foundation and iSea announce its continuation for the year 2021 in all the ports where it has already been implemented (Alexandroupoli, Volos, Thessaloniki, and Kavala), as well as its expansion to the ports of Heraklion, Lesvos, Patra, Chania, and Chios.

In 2019, from October to December, “Fishing For Litter” was piloted at the ports of Nea Michaniona and Kavala with the participation of 8 fishing vessels. In 2020, the project continued, with the active participation of 18 fishing vessels, in the ports of Alexandroupoli, Volos, Thessaloniki, and Kavala.

The main objectives of the project are to raise awareness within the fishing industry and change the industry’s waste management, to remove marine litter, and to collect data on marine pollution on the seabed at depths that cannot be reached easily. The collected data contribute to the implementation of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (2008/56/EC).

Find more about the project here.

About 1/3 of sharks and rays worldwide are facing extinction

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A total of 128,918 species are included in the recent IUCN Red List of Threatened Species; 35,765 of these species are listed as Endangered.

The populations of more than 420 species were assessed, 154 of which are listed as Endangered. Among them, there are species that can be found in the Mediterranean Sea and in Greek waters such as the Galeorhinus galeus (GAG) Tope shark, and Chimaera monstrosa (CMO) Rabbitfish. Out of the 200 species that were listed as Not Evaluated in 2014, due to a lack of data, 57 are now evaluated as Endangered in the most recent report.

One species of shark (Carcharhinus obsoletus), which was only formally described in 2019, enters the Red List as Critically Endangered (Possibly Extinct) since its most recent record dates back to 1934. Nevertheless, further research is required.

The Greek Red Book was published in 2009 and it included 63 Chondrichthyan species, 50 of which were listed as Not Evaluated due to the absence of data. According to recent research, it is estimated that the majority of the species that belong to the Data Deficient (DD) category, i.e. the majority of the species found in the Greek seas, belong to the threatened categories and thus are facing extinction.

                                      

iSea and the IUCN Shark Specialist Group have undertaken the preparation and compilation of the National Chondrichthyans Checklist in Greece in collaboration with Greek researchers. However, this is only an initial step as, considering the information presented above, it is imperative to re-compile the Red List for Chondrichthyans in Greece.

Wheeled vehicles in the Protected Area of Elafonisos during popular TV show

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Οn the 7th of December, thousands of TV viewers watched wheeled vehicles moving on the Protected Areas of Elafonisos island during the TV show of the STAR channel “Greece’s Next Top Model (GNTM) 3”.

Elafonisos, due to its particularly high ecological value, is a Special Protected Area according to the Natura 2000 Network (GR2540002 site, PERIOCHI NEAPOLIS KAI NISOS ELAFONISOS). Since off-road vehicles moving on sand dunes and the seashore are prohibited by law, 17 environmental organisations denounce the event asking its further examination from the corresponding authorities. We hope for the positive response of the authorities in charge, as well as for the promotion awareness among the public about the importance of the area’s preservation and respect to the protection measures.

 

iSea’s participation in the consultation of the Ministry of Shipping and Island Policy on the bill entitled “Integrated Maritime Policy in the Island Area and other provisions”.

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iSea participated in the consultation of the Ministry of Shipping and Island Policy on the bill entitled “Integrated Maritime Policy in the Island Area and other provisions”.

We highlighted the fact that this bill does not have a truly integrated approach in regards to island and maritime areas, as it is not fully in line with the goals of Blue Growth. More specifically, it appears that the bill does not take into account the Integrated Maritime Policy of the European Union, nor United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals, or the European Green Deal. Therefore, we propose that a number of changes should be made to this bill for it to better incorporate the goals of sustainable development and blue growth. Please find all of iSea’s comments here.

Reforms in the management of alien species

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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

Non-indigenous species (also known as alien or non-native) are species introduced outside their natural past or present range, which might survive and subsequently reproduce. There are more than 800 non-indigenous species in the Mediterranean, and the number has been exponentially growing in the recent decades, particularly through the Suez Canal. They are characterized as a major threat to ecosystems due to their potential impacts on the environment, economy, and even human health. However, there are non-indigenous species that can offer benefits e.g. replacing lost ecological functions, enhancing ecological redundancy and providing fishery balance. Stopping the spread of such species is virtually impossible especially with the tools we have today.

A new study published in the ‘Journal of Environmental Management’ – led by the Marine and Environmental Research (MER) Lab, in collaboration with scientists from Greek organizations such as iSea, the University of Patras, HCMR, the University of Plymouth (UK) and the University of Queensland (Australia), is proposing institutional changes in the approach and management of marine alien species in the Mediterranean. In order to address such issues, the study proposes cost-benefit analysis, as well as a series of institutional reforms that will guide whether each species should be managed in a sustainable or unsustainable way.

For example, where there are negative impacts, the study proposes legislation to actively promote commercial over-exploitation and the creation of specific licences for recreational fishers targeting non-indigenous species. It also recommends investment in the market and valorisation of NIS products, the development of novel products, and fishery-related tourism. The study also highlights the importance of investing in natural-based solutions such as the protection of native predators, the enhancement of marine protected areas (MPAs), and allowing SCUBA divers to remove invasive species from MPAs.

Periklis Kleitou, lead author of the study and researcher at MER Lab, said: “The Mediterranean is heavily overexploited. It is unwise to perceive all the effects of non-indigenous species in the region as negative. Some species have been established in the basin for decades playing a major role in ecosystem and fisheries balance. In some parts of the eastern Mediterranean, they might account for over half the fishery catches in some parts of the eastern Mediterranean. Others are harmful and we do not actively promote their overexploitation. The solutions we propose would create an ecosystem-based framework to promote fishery sustainability in the region”.

Co-author Ioannis Giovos, from the environmental organization iSea and researcher at MER Lab, added: “We cannot talk about fighting alien species without, at the same time, protecting their potential native predators, many of which are endangered in the Mediterranean due to overfishing. With the right measures and institutional changes, alien species can be a driving force for the sustainable management of stocks and a breath can be given to the Mediterranean ecosystems, but this requires courageous moves at national, Mediterranean and European level.”

Find the full study here: Kleitou et al: Fishery Reforms for the Management of Non-Indigenous Species – can be found at the Journal of Environmental Management, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2020.111690

NGOs, Universities and activists urge the Tunisian state to protect Great White Sharks

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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.

The Great White Shark, Carcharodon carcharias (Linnaeus, 1758) is one of the most iconic animals of our oceans and the world’s largest known predatory fish. Unfortunately, contemporary narratives widely presented in popular and mainstream and cultural media, have attached an utterly negative connotation to this fascinating species, propagating a fabricated image of them as implacable and voracious predators.

Currently, its Mediterranean population is listed as Critically Endangered in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species due to the dramatic decline of its population in the last 50 years that varies from 52% to up to 96% in some regions.

While there are no targeted fisheries for the species in the Mediterranean, bycatch in different fishing gears, like the pelagic longlines, bottom trawls and purse seines is the most prevalent threat for its collapsing population. Although it is possible that these animals were caught accidentally, it is intended that fishers release them alive.

It is particularly important that competent authorities pay close attention to such incidents, taking into account the existing protection and conservation status of the species, and the fact that such accidental captures could allow the development of an illegal market. This could threaten the survival of the Great White Shark, a species that exhibits low reproductive and growth rates, long lifespan and a highly migratory nature.

We call upon the Tunisian authority to adopt a domestic protection measure for the Great White Shark and all species included in the GFCM/42/2018/2 list, and to further enforce the implementation of all existing binding measures that are yet to be effectively enforced and could contribute significantly to the conservation of these threatened species. In addition, we urge all Mediterranean countries to co-operate to apply and to enforce all relevant decisions and legislations. In parallel, it is important to educate and inform fishers, involved stakeholders, and the general public on the value and status of such iconic and unique marine animals, that serve as flagship species for the conservation of the Mediterranean basin.

Applied legislations for the protection of the Great White Sharks in the Mediterranean

Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), inclusion in Appendix II (Species threatened with extinction)

Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS), such as the inclusion as a “protected species” in Appendix II (Migratory species conserved through Agreements)

EU: Council Regulation (EU) 2019/1241, in Annex I (prohibition to fish for, retain on board, tranship, land, store, sell, display or offer for sale, as referred to in Article 10(2)) in all waters

EU: Regulation (EU) 2015/2102 of the European Parliament and of the Council – transposition of GFCM/42/2018/2 into EU Regulations applicable to the EU Fleet in the Mediterranean.

COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING DECISION (EU) 2016/1251 in Table 1D (Species to be monitored under protection programmes in the Union or under international obligations)

Law on Fisheries n.64/2012 – amended on April 2020 by Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in Albania

Israel: protected since 2005

Italy: 1992, law on wildlife protection n.150/1992.

Official Gazette of Montenegro No. 26/15

Official Gazette of Montenegro No. 76/06

Spain: Real Decreto 139/2011 Listado de Especies Silvestres en Régimen de Protección Especial y del Catálogo Español de Especies Amenazadas

Slovenia: Decree on the protected free-ranging animal species (UL RS 46/04)

For more information please contact

iSea, Environmental Organisation for the Conservation of Aquatic Ecosystems, Greece, info@isea.com.gr

This press release issued by iSea and is supported by:

Albanian Center for Environmental Protection and Sustainable Development
All For Blue
Associació Lamna
Association Ailerons
Association Pour l’Etude et la Conservations des Sélaciens (APECS)
Associazione Isoetes, no-profit association
Blue World Institute of Marine Research and Conservation
CATSHARKS, Association for the study and conservation of elasmobranchs and its ecosystems
Requins et Des Hommes (DRDH)
Enalia Physis Environmental Research Centre
Ente Fauna Marina Mediterranea
Ichthyological Research Society of Turkey
Ilija Cetkovic, University of Montenegro – Institute of Marine Biology
Longitude 181
Marine and Environmental Research Lab Ltd. (MER Lab),
Marine biology in Libya
MedSharks
Mendil Hamza Med Anis, PhD Laboratoire Conservation et Valorisation des Ressources Marines, Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Sciences de la Mer et de l’Aménagement du Littoral
Mersea Marine Conservation Consutling
Morigenos – Slovenian Marine Mammal Society
OceanCare
Project AWARE
Sami Mhenni, marine activist
Sea Shepherd Greece
SHARKPROJECT
Shark Trust
Sharks Educational Institute
Sharks in Israel
SUBMON
Tethys Research Institute
The Dolphin’s Voice e.V
The MECO (Mediterranean Elasmobranchs Citizen Observations) project,
Turkish Marine Research Foundation (TUDAV),
University of Calabria, Laboratory of Marine Zoology and Herpetology, Department of Biology,
Ecology and Earth Sciences
The University of Patras, Department of Animal Production, Fisheries & Aquaculture

Launch of our new project “Updating the Greek National Chondrichthyans Checklist”

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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.

Against this backdrop, iSea will be undertaking the update of the national checklist of chondrichthyan species of Greece with support from the IUCN SSC Shark Specialist Group. This project, entitled “Updating the Greek National Chondrichthyans Checklist”, is funded under the financial programme of the Green Fund “Natural environment & innovative environmental actions 2020” by the priority axis “Actions to Conserve Biodiversity”.

Within this context, an updated national checklist of chondrichthyans will be prepared via the collaboration of a large number of scientists from Greece. The existing relevant literature will be reviewed, virtual round tables and workshops with Greek chondrichthyan researchers and members of the IUCN SSC Shark Specialist Group will be conducted, an e-book containing the new official national checklist and information for each species in both Greek and English will be published, and hardcopy versions will be printed and distributed among competent authorities and stakeholders to promote and disseminate chondrichthyan conservation in Greece.

Mediterranean Angel Sharks: SubRegional Action Plan in Aegean Sea and Crete

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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.

This Subregional Action Plan was initiated by The Shark Trust developed by iSea in collaboration with The Shark Trust, TUDAV institute, WWF Greece, and WWF Turkey..

The vision of the Action Plan is to restore and protect these species population in this important area, by evaluating the main threats that the species are faced and by proposing detailed actions to be adopted for the accomplishment of the vision. In this context, three goals were set, based on the Mediterranean Action Plan:

Fisheries based angel shark mortality is minimised in the Aegean and Cretan seas
Angel shark habitat is identified and protected.
National legislation for angel sharks is established, implemented, and enforced.

Find the press release here

Find the Mediterranean Angel Sharks: SubRegional Action Plan (SubRAP) GSAs 22/23 (Aegean Sea and Crete) here.