Results of beach clean-up actions in Poros and Kefalonia: More than 120 pieces of litter per 100 m

The Environmental Organisation iSea, the Panhellenic Association of Professional Fishing Tourism, and the School of Mining and Metallurgical Engineering at the National Technical University of Athens (MME-NTUA) took action at Kalami Beach on Poros and Agia Pelagia Beach on Kefalonia. As part of the “Fishing Tourism & Climate Change: Towards Sustainable and Innovative Practices” project, two beach cleanups were carried out in collaboration with the municipalities of Poros and Argostoli, Fishing Trips Poros, Michalis Fishing Tourism, the cultural and educational organisation Katheti, the community of Svoronata, the Hotel Galaxy, and, of course, the invaluable support of volunteers.

The results of these actions highlighted the extent of the problem of marine litter pollution on remote beaches. Through the recording of litter in the EVMAR platform (Evaluating Marine Litter Pollution in Greece), 392 pieces of litter were recorded on Poros and 126 on Kefalonia along a 100-meter stretch of coastline, while the European Union’s threshold for a beach to be considered in Good Environmental Status is 20 pieces of litter over a corresponding stretch of beach.

In total, more than 130 kilograms of litter were collected, with plastic once again taking the “lead,” accounting for over 90% of the total on both beaches.

The initιative was not limited to cleaning the beach; surface water and sediment samples were also collected to study the presence of microplastics.

The goals of the initiative were to remove litter that ends up on the shoreline, highlight the extent of the marine litter pollution problem and raise public awareness. At the same time, the project aims to strengthen citizens’ sense of environmental responsibility, as well as to train fishing tourism professionals in the use of Citizen Science tools, such as the EVMAR platform, in order to enhance their resilience to the impacts of the climate crisis by adopting responsible practices.

Fishing tourism, beyond being an authentic recreational experience, serves as an alternative practice for professional fishermen, supporting their livelihoods while also contributing significantly to reducing fishing pressure. Furthermore, it serves as a powerful tool for raising environmental awareness, bringing visitors closer to the marine ecosystem and the challenges it faces.

The Environmental Organisation iSea, the Panhellenic Association of Fishing Tourism for Professional Fishermen (PAFTPF), and the School of Mining and Metallurgical Engineering at the National Technical University of Athens (MME-NTUA) would like to once again thank all the volunteers who took part in the two events!

The project “Fishing Tourism & Climate Change: Toward Sustainable and Innovative Practices” is being implemented with funding from the Green Fund, specifically through the funding project “Natural Environment and Climate Neutrality 2024, AP.4 Innovative Actions with Citizens.” The lead beneficiary of the project is the Environmental Organisation iSea, and the co-beneficiaries are the Panhellenic Association of Fishing Tourism for Professional Fishermen (PAFTPF) and the School of Mining and Metallurgical Engineering at the National Technical University of Athens (MME-NTUA).  The project’s total budget is €50,000, and it is scheduled to be completed in 16 months (September 2025–December 2026).

Find out more about the project activities here: https://isea.com.gr/project/fishing-tourism-climate-change/

For more information: George Theodoridis, Project Manager, iSea Environmental Organization, 2313090696, giorgos.theodoridis@isea.com.gr