Erimitis is a peninsula on the northeast coast of the Greek island of Corfu, which hosts a wide range of biodiversity on land, freshwater and sea while also preserving a unique natural scape complexion. For the past 12 years, the local association of “Erimitis plous” struggles to preserve this natural capital from development plans with the campaign Save Erimitis.
In this context, and to support this long initiative, in 2021, iSea mapped the Posidonia oceanica meadow in two bays of Erimitis peninsula that according to the development plans would be transformed to a marina. The mapping resulted in 0.157 km2 of Posidonia, although it is worth mentioning that the meadow expands well beyond the northern and southern borders of the study area. In the same year, a biodiversity survey was also conducted, resulting in the observation of 82 different species, compiling a total of marine 107 species in combination with previous studies.
2022
In 2022, iSea re-visited Erimitis to assess the conservation status of the meadow and estimate the total blue carbon stored in the meadow’s rhizomes. For the conservation status two methods were utilised, one using the conservation index (CI) and one using the PREI index. The PREI index resulted in the value of 0.62 which is equivalent to “good ecological status”, while for CI values ranged from 0.60 to 0.95 (“severe regression” and “very good status”, accordingly).
For the estimation of blue carbon, a total of 4 core samples were extracted by divers from within the study area using PVC corers, while for the estimation an elemental analysis was performed to the samples using the Walkley-Black method. The total amount of blue carbon stored in the substrate of Erimitis meadows was estimated at 563.85 tC for the top 60cm of the substrate, which is equivalent to 3,581 tC/km2.
2023
In 2023, iSea continued activities in Erimitis with the aim to explore the ecological value of the marine area of Erimitis focusing on protected and threatened species and habitats, by conducting research and combining existing knowledge.
Regarding the extent of the Posidonia oceanica meadows, this was estimated as 0.62km2, with an accuracy of 93.56%. The meadows have a continuous distribution along the coast of Erimitis peninsula starting from less than 1m depth up to 42m in a specific site.
Health Indices
Species
Habitats identified
2024
In 2024, iSea will continue their work in the region of Erimitis with the aim to map the anchoring hotspots, estimate the total blue carbon stored in the meadows and finally, continue raising awareness of the importance of the area and advocation for the protection against human disturbance.
You can find the annual reports below:
Find more about the areas biodiversity and the threats the area faces here:
Project's Team:
Roxani Naasan Aga – Spyridopoulou
Roxani is an environmentalist, she holds a bachelor’s in Marine sciences from the University of Aegean. In 2019, she started working on projects for the “Aquatic Litter” and the “Vulnerable Species” departments. Currently, she is working as a Project Manager for projects regarding “Vulnerable Species” and “Human and Aquatic Ecosystems”.
Her main research interests are related to elasmobranch ecology and biology, fisheries biology, and marine protected areas. She holds a speedboat licence, and a diving licence and is multilingual (Greek, Arabic, English, and French). She knows how to code in R. She is a qualified user of ArcGIS and SNAP(ESA). Furthermore, she knows how to use software for ecological data (Vissim, Populus, Primer, Presence, Distance).
Before this, she used to work with humanitarian NGOs for refugees in Greece as a cultural mediator and interpreter.
Contact Info:
Email: [email protected]
tel. +302313090696
mob. +306944505224
Kyriaki Pyloridou
Kyriaki was born in 1999 in Thessaloniki. She has a bachelor’s degree from the Department of Oceanography and Marine Sciences, from the University of the Aegean. She speaks three languages: Greek (native), English (B2) and Chinese (beginner). She’s familiar with Microsoft Office applications, ArcGIS, R and she’s a certified PADI Open Water Diver. She conducted her internship at iSea in the summer of 2021, in the “Vulnerable Species” pillar and more specifically in the project “Sharks and Rays in Greece and Cyprus”. She’s working as an Assistant Project Manager.
Contact Information:
Email: [email protected]
Tel. +302313090696
Ilektra Athinaiou
Ilektra was born in 1998, she is from Nafplio and has completed her bachelor’s in Marine and Freshwater Biology at Edinburgh Napier University, while she recently graduated from her master’s degree in Marine Conservation from the University of Plymouth. Academically, she has focused on a range of topics and has completed her dissertation on elasmobranch trade in Greece in collaboration with iSea, while for her MSc thesis, she worked on shark and ray stock assessment approaches with Blue Resources Trust. She was previously involved with Archelon working first as a monitoring coordinator in Zakynthos and later as a project assistant in the Peloponnese. She volunteered with the Argolic Environment Foundation as a local admin and has participated as a diver in the cleanups of two “Prosfero” projects with iSea. She has knowledge on R, QGIS, adobe premiere and Wix, while she is a certified PADI Open Water Diver and BLS first aid responder and holds a drone license (A1/A3).
She has a range of interests, including blue carbon ecosystems, elasmobranchs, genetics and using technology for research. She speaks 3 languages: Greek (native), English (native) and basic Dutch. Within iSea she works as a Project Manager in the Vulnerable Species Pillar.
Contact Information:
Email: [email protected]
Phone number: +30 2313 090696
Ilaeira Giatroudaki
Ilaeira was born in Athens and studied at the Department of Biology of the University of Crete specialising in Environmental Biology and Management of Biological Resources. She holds a Master’s degree from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Biodiversity and Biological Resources Management with specialisation in Ecology and Conservation Biology.
Both at the undergraduate and postgraduate degrees, she worked with ecological modeling techniques for the conservation of different species of reptiles in Greece and the Mediterranean, under the influence of climate change following the methodological framework of Systematic Conservation Planning. She’s collaborated with the Natural History Museum of Crete during her thesis on the study and conservation of the genus Podarcis in Greece. Part of it was included in the “Atlas of Reptiles and Amphibians of Greece” of the Hellenic Herpetological Society. In addition, she has been involved in the conservation of the sea turtle Caretta caretta both through her postgraduate thesis and also, through her contribution to the work of the environmental organization Wildlife Sense on the island of Kefalonia. So far, the main objects of her research activity have been the Modeling of the Environmental Scope of the species, as well as Spatial Conservation Planning.
She speaks Greek and English and has numerous technical skills, such as, knowledge in the R programming language, GIS software, ecological modeling methods, as well as knowledge of using spatial planning prioritization software. She also has an Open Water Diver diploma.
She’s currently working as an Assistant Project Manager at iSea, in the Vulnerable Species Pillar.
Contact Info:
E-mail: [email protected]
tel. +302313090696