By Abbas Nazil
Greece has announced the creation of two vast marine protected areas in the Ionian Sea and the Southern Cyclades in the Aegean Sea as part of a major national initiative to safeguard marine biodiversity and fulfill international environmental commitments.
Greek Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, revealed the decision in a video address, stating that the new reserves will rank among the largest marine protected areas in the Mediterranean.
The government may also ban bottom trawling within all marine protected zones by 2030, making Greece the first European country to take such a bold step against this destructive fishing practice.
Bottom trawling, which involves dragging heavy nets across the seafloor, is widely criticized for damaging delicate marine ecosystems including coral reefs and seagrass meadows.
Fishing, including trawling, is typically permitted in many protected marine areas globally, but Greece’s action signals a shift toward stricter conservation.
Mitsotakis stated that this decision honors a pledge made at the United Nations Oceans Conference in Nice in June 2025.
At the summit, Greece, along with Brazil and Spain, committed to new marine protections and stricter regulations on bottom trawling to combat biodiversity loss and protect ocean health.
The new marine parks will help Greece reach its goal of protecting 30 percent of its territorial waters by 2030, a target aligned with the international 30×30 conservation framework.
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The prime minister emphasized that these efforts are essential for ensuring the sustainability of marine life and the long-term health of the planet.
He added that the initiative will involve collaboration with local communities, fishermen, scientists, and global partners to ensure the success and replicability of the marine parks.
Greece, with over 13,600 kilometers of coastline and thousands of islands, holds some of the richest marine biodiversity in the Mediterranean region.
In May 2025, Greece had already banned bottom trawling around the Fournoi Korseon island chain, an area recently found to host exceptionally vibrant coral reefs.
Mitsotakis credited British naturalist Sir David Attenborough’s new documentary “Ocean” for inspiring the government to accelerate its marine protection agenda.
The film underscores the ocean’s critical role in regulating the climate, sustaining life, and buffering humanity from environmental collapse.
Turkey, whose western coast lies close to the Aegean islands, criticized the move as unilateral, calling for joint environmental cooperation based on international maritime law.
Turkey expressed readiness to collaborate and announced plans to declare its own marine protection zones soon.
Although Greece and Turkey have a long history of maritime disputes, both countries signed a détente agreement in 2023 aimed at reducing regional tensions.
Mitsotakis said protecting marine life is not just about scenic beauty but about preserving “life itself” in all its fragility and resilience.
