One of the key topics of this year’s Elafonisos Eco Week was “Blue Opportunities.” During the conferences on the second day, Laura Giuliano, Director General of the Mediterranean Science Commission (CIESM), opened her speech by emphasizing the unique opportunity of bringing together different sectors to discuss urgent marine issues. The CIESM, which has existed for 100 years, has always promoted the idea that the sea connects us, but also warned that without shared responsibility, it can divide us.
She pointed out that many of today’s marine risks come from climate change and human activity. For too long, researchers excluded humans from ecosystem models. Now, there is a growing recognition that humans are an integral part of marine ecosystems, and that sustainable management must include them.
Then she focused on the lionfish, an invasive species rapidly spreading across the Mediterranean. Originally blocked by cooler waters, rising sea temperatures have opened the way for its expansion. The lionfish, which has already devastated ecosystems in the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico, is now advancing quickly along the coasts of Greece and the eastern Mediterranean.
She highlighted the work of scientific experts studying the lionfish’s behavior, spread, and impact on native species. These invasive species, she warned, are more adaptable to warming conditions than native ones, leading to a significant ecological shift.
She concluded by stressing that science must focus on adaptation, not control. She applauded Elafonisos and Cyprus for taking proactive steps and called on everyone to support models where economy and adaptation go hand in hand in the fight against invasive species like the lionfish.