In the context of the project “Learn-Participate-Protect the Environment” we are looking for “mentors” volunteers, with the aim to train them for their collaboration in different tasks depending on their experience and interests. Read more
Unfortunately, once again, we came across a news report that praises the illegal fishing of a protected sharks species, the Bluntnose Sixgill shark, Hexanchus griseus (SBL), a species protected by Greek law. The phenomenon of fishing Bluntnose Sixgill sharks is very common in Greece. So much so, that we often come across photos of the species from fish markets where they illegally sell them as the species “galeos” or promote their consumption stating that they are “exquisite delicacies”. Read more
Chondrichthyans (sharks, rays, skates and chimaeras) play a pivotal role in the marine environment providing stability to coastal and oceanic ecosystem structures and functions.
Today, about half of the Mediterranean sharks and batoids are threatened with extinction, mainly due to by-catch. Nevertheless, research on Chondrichthyes, especially in the Eastern Mediterranean, is limited. Read more
Our recent research on elasmobranch fishing and trade in Greece has just been published. Through a systematic study for a year and on a monthly basis, we visited auction markets, landing points, and fishing markets in Northern Greece, for recording the landings of sharks and rays at the species level and for quantifying their illegal trade and mislabelling.
In the past three years, iSea has carried out a series of actions with the main purpose of protecting these species both in the Mediterranean and in Greece. These actions include: iSea’s contribution to the creation of the “Mediterranean Angel Sharks: Regional Action Plan” but also to the “Mediterranean Angel Sharks: SubRegional Action Plan (SubRAP) GSAs 22/23 (Aegean Sea and Crete)”, the ongoing collection of data related to the occurrence of angel sharks, and the implementation of projects that aim to enhance the current knowledge on the species’ distribution and ecology in Greece as well as to improve the awareness of fishermen and the relevant legal framework. Read more
Another unfortunate incident of catching, selling and displaying a Great White Shark, occurred in the Mediterranean, this time in Greece, on the island of Naxos. This incident complements the growing catalogue of illegal fishing of protected sharks and rays in the Mediterranean and in Greece. Read more
Following the official complaint from 17 Environmental Organisations for the violation of the environmental legislation in Natura 2000 Network areas of Elafonisos, the production company of GNTM was fined, due to the off-road vehicles that appeared moving on sand dunes, which are protected.
Today we officially announce iNaturalist Greece, as Greece becomes the newest member of the global iNaturalist Network!
iNaturalistGR is Greece’s “gateway” to the world of iNaturalist, managed by iSea with the support of Goulandris Natural History Museum.
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In the context of #zeroplastic, an awareness raising campaign against pollution from plastics and microplastics in the Greek seas, the knowledge and attitude of the Greek public towards marine plastic pollution and the EU Single-Use Plastics Directive were investigated by interpreting the results of a questionnaire.
The three angel shark species found in the Mediterranean and Greece, the sawback angelshark (Squatina aculeata), the smoothback angelshark (S. oculata), and the angeshark (S. squatina) are classified as “Critically Endangered (CR)” in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Recent angel shark records in Cyclades and Dodecanese island groups indicate that the South Aegean region is very important for their Mediterranean populations.