Greece’s historic step towards ocean protection – With Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ announcement of a ban on trawling in marine protected areas, Greece has taken a decisive step towards protecting its marine ecosystems. The declaration was made during the Our Ocean conference last April, marking an important turning point in the country’s environmental policy.
The Greek premier declared that trawling will be banned in all national marine parks by 2026, with an extension of the ban to all protected ocean areas by 2030. This makes Greece the first European nation to take such a strong measure for marine conservation.
Mitsotakis also announced an investment of EUR 780 million for the protection of marine biodiversity, with the goal of safeguarding 30 per cent of territorial waters by 2030.
Greece has established two new national marine parks, one in the Ionian and one in the Aegean Sea, which will cover approximately 12% and 6.61% of Greek waters, respectively. These marine sanctuaries will be crucial for the protection of vulnerable species. The creation of these parks will not only contribute to the preservation of marine habitats, but will also be a significant step in the global fight against the climate crisis.
Bottom trawling is a highly destructive practice that damages the seabed and releases carbon into the ocean and atmosphere. By banning this technique in protected areas, Greece joins other countries committed to protecting the oceans and promoting biodiversity.
Greece’s decision was not without controversy.
Turkey, through Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, expressed concerns about Turkish national sovereignty and maritime rights. Ankara accused Athens of threatening Turkish sovereignty over international waters and expressed fears over hydrocarbon exploration and exploitation concessions in the Hellenic Trench. Greece has in fact granted exploration rights over a marine area of more than 50,000 square kilometres, overlapping one of the richest habitats in the Mediterranean. This has raised economic fears for Turkey, whose economy is partly dependent on oil and gas extraction. The creation of marine parks could hamper these activities, negatively affecting the Turkish economy.
Greece’s historic step towards ocean protection
