One of the key topics of this year’s Elafonisos Eco Week was “Blue Opportunities.” During the conferences on the second day, we attended a round table with various experts to talk about Lionfish.
During a roundtable moderated by Constantinos Machairas, Secretary General at IFOAM Agribiomediterraneo, several speakers came together to discuss concrete and collaborative solutions to tackle the lionfish invasion in the Mediterranean. The conversation focused on aligning environmental action with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), encouraging regional partnerships, and exploring innovation through science and technology.
Luc Vandevelde, Former Chairman and CEO of Marks & Spencer, Carrefour and JDEPeets – Founder and chairman of Change Capital Partners LLP, opened the discussion by bringing attention to the financial aspect of such environmental efforts. He pointed out the abundance of available European funding but noted a mismatch between project needs and funders’ expectations: “We must simplify the language and processes around funding so that local actors, NGOs, and scientists can actually access the resources that exist.” He emphasized the importance of aligning local actions with EU priorities and making applications more accessible.
Mario Dogliani, President of SDG4MED, emphasized the importance of unity: “Either we act together, or we won’t succeed.” He reminded the audience that the SDGs are rooted in collective effort and that cooperation with non-EU Mediterranean countries is crucial.
Alexander Kotrschal, Associate Professor at Wageningen University & Research – Netherlands, shared valuable insights into lionfish behavior and highlighted practical approaches to improve capture methods. In particular, he proposed the use of adapted nets alongside spearfishing. He also expressed strong support for the idea of establishing a living lab on invasive species in Elafonisos: “We already have a solid foundation and concrete steps to implement.” He also stressed the urgency of accessing small-scale funding to move forward.
Nathalie Hilmi, Section Head of Environmental Economics at the Centre Scientifique de Monaco, highlighted the need for accurate data and monitoring tools to track the lionfish’s spread effectively. She stressed that “Reliable data is the backbone of any successful management strategy.” Nathalie called for better integration of scientific data into policy-making and encouraged collaboration between countries to share monitoring technologies.
Enrico Toja, President of Elafonisos Eco, raised concerns about a lack of coordination between different research teams working on the same issues. He called for greater synergy among Mediterranean stakeholders to avoid duplication and increase impact. He also expressed enthusiasm for the digital collaboration platform presented by Matteo Accattino, IT Specialist from Nomad, and immediately committed to funding its development through Elafonisos Eco.
Theodosios Tompras, KPMG representative Partner at CPA Law, spoke about the need for consistency and coherence: “From data to public policy, we need less fragmentation.” He acknowledged positive developments in raising awareness but called for stronger Mediterranean coalitions that include countries beyond the EU.
Julian Dionne, Economist and Medical Researcher, contributed a unique perspective by highlighting the nutritional value of lionfish. “This fish is rich in omega-3, proteins, and essential vitamins. It’s a health treasure,” he explained, also noting that processing and digestibility are key aspects to be further researched.
Paraskevi Karachle, Research Director Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (HCMR), urged politicians to genuinely take scientists’ work into account. “We are ready to collaborate and share. But we also want our research to lead to real decisions,” she asserted.
Finally, Laura Giuliano, Director of Science – Mediterranean Science Commission (CIESM), brought a poetic close to the session: “Fishermen and researchers used to work in silos. That’s changing. Now, observation becomes data, and data becomes power. Let’s turn this threat into a Mediterranean opportunity, with a new identity for exotic fish, both ecological and economic.”