On Friday, May 16, 2025, the President of Elafonisos Eco participated to The 1st Mediterranean Lionfish Conference, held in Gournes, Crete. This conference was organized by Alex Kotrschal from the University of Wageningen with the collaboration of G.Tserpes and Panaiota Peristeraki from the Hellenic Center for Marine Research (HCMR).
This conference follows the first meeting in Pollenzo last October 2024 and the second in Stelios Foundation in Athens in March 2025…
The purpose of this meeting was to bring together individuals engaged in lionfish research in the Mediterranean, encouraging collaboration and the exchange of knowledge. Open to contributions from various scientific disciplines, the conference welcomed studies focusing on lionfish biology, ecology, behaviour, environmental impact, management and control strategies. By offering a space for participants to share their work and engage in constructive dialogue, the event aimed to enhance our understanding of the lionfish phenomenon in the region. Ultimately, the goal was to foster connections among researchers, promote interdisciplinary discussions, and strengthen a unified community committed to tackling the challenges posed by this invasive species while exploring innovative solutions to preserve marine ecosystems.
Enrico Toja presents the position of the Elafonisos Eco Association regarding the lionfish in the Mediterranean Sea.
The main proposal was to focus on a Living Lab on Elafonisos Island.
Interesting presentations were done by experts from Greece,Turkey and Cyprus.
Very interesting visit to the HCRM Aquarium with Lionfish presence and also the information on the time needed for the decomposition of plastic, cigarette butts, etc.
We also visited the storage of live lionfish kept for their analysis organized by Wageningen University… They obtained permission to dive with tanks.
Our President was invited to Agios Nikolaos by Elina Mikroulea, special Advisor of Crete Region, to taste Lionfish in two restaurants. Our compliments to the fisherman and the chefs!
What we learned is that collaboration and information sharing between the researchers is A MUST in order to protect the biodiversity in the Mediterranean sea and that all the researches and studies must be driven by a defined and agreed business need, followed by a practical implementation and measurable results.
Next lionfish meeting must be planned for next September/October 2025.