Kenneth Glad
Authorities are introducing new measures in response to changing conditions affecting coastal communities. The latest steps reflect broader efforts to balance public safety, environmental concerns and summer tourism.
A public health warning over invasive toxic pufferfish has pushed coastal authorities in parts of Greece to add new safeguards at popular swimming spots.
The first floating sea barrier has been installed in Chalkida, on the northern Gulf of Euboea, as reported by The Guardian.
Warning at sea
The Greek Red Cross warning, cited in the outlet’s report, advises anyone bitten by a pufferfish to seek immediate medical care because the species can cause severe wounds.
The warning also says the fish must not be eaten because it contains tetrodotoxin, a potentially fatal neurotoxin with no known antidote.
The issue matters beyond beach safety: Swimmers fear injury, while fishers say the invasive species damages nets and fishing gear.
Chalkida vice-mayor Antonis Spanos told the British newspaper that the project followed months of planning and approvals, saying the priority was public safety.
The outlet reported that about 2.5 kilometres of barriers are planned around local bays, while nearby municipalities are preparing similar systems.
Greece has also announced payments of €5.33 per kilogram for collected pufferfish, following a similar removal effort in Cyprus.
Questions remain
Scientists interviewed by The Guardian say the fish likely entered the Mediterranean from the Red Sea through the Suez Canal, with warmer seas helping it move into new areas.
That spread has left local authorities weighing beach safety concerns against the wider challenge of managing an invasive species now present in regional waters.
Some fishers remain skeptical of the response, arguing that removal efforts may not be enough, while a new advocacy group has criticized the campaign on ethical grounds.
Marine scientist Ioannis Batjakas told The Guardian that the danger to swimmers has been overstated, saying attacks on people are very rare and usually happen only when the fish are provoked.
His view has added another layer to the debate, as officials try to reassure the public without presenting the species as an immediate threat to every swimmer.
On the beach in Chalkida, Pavlos Beleyiannis watched his grandchildren stay inside the new barrier, a small sign of how local habits are adjusting to the warnings.
Beleyiannis told the paper, “Thank god it’s there to protect them,” adding, “There weren’t such dangers in these seas when I was a child.”
Source: The Guardian
