103 TONS OF GREY MULLET WERE EXTERMINATED FROM THE CYPRIOT SEAS - THE NEW INVADERS - Pafos Press 19/6
The grey mullet continues to be one of the biggest challenges for the marine ecosystems and coastal fisheries of Cyprus, with the competent authorities intensifying efforts to limit its spread through a special grant scheme that is already in place. The officer of the Department of Fisheries and Marine Research, Katerina Georgiou, speaking to SigmaLive, analyzed the current situation in Cypriot waters, the measures taken to deal with the species, as well as the new marine "invaders" that have made their appearance in the Cypriot EEZ.
As she explained, the grey mullet (Lagocephalus sceleratus) is among the most important invasive alien species that have settled in the Eastern Mediterranean. Its presence is linked to the so-called Lessepsian migration, i.e. the movement of organisms from the Red Sea to the Mediterranean Sea through the Suez Canal. It is a highly adaptable species, which can settle in different marine environments and spread rapidly.
Despite its long-term presence in Cypriot waters, there is currently no scientific census or official estimate of the total size of its population in the Cypriot EEZ. Therefore, no safe conclusions can be drawn about the total stock of the species nor about the dynamics of its population evolution.
Ms. Georgiou stated that the available data from recorded landings and fishing activities show that the bluefin tuna has now spread to a large part of the coastal zone of the free Cyprus and is found in various marine areas. Its widespread presence is attributed to its particular biological characteristics, as it has a wide range of food, can adapt to different environmental conditions and does not face significant natural predators in the area.
At the same time, there are no corresponding data from the occupied areas of Cyprus, due to the political situation and the inability to implement joint monitoring and recording programs.
According to the officer of the Department of Fisheries, the presence and impacts of the species are systematically monitored through the available data regarding catches and landings, while the bluefin tuna has been included in the species monitored within the framework of the European Fisheries Data Collection Framework. The data collected concern, among other things, landings, fishing activity and the geographical distribution of the species.
However, as he stressed, long-term scientific monitoring programs and systematic field studies are required in order to have a more accurate picture of the abundance of the population, its changes over time and the impacts it causes both on marine ecosystems and on the fishing sector.
An important tool in the effort to limit the grey mullet is the Grants Scheme to limit its spread in the coastal waters of Cyprus, which has been implemented since June 2024 and will remain in force until the end of 2029.
The aim of the scheme is to mitigate the populations of the species through the exercise of intense and targeted fishing pressure by the country's coastal professional fleet. The program is implemented by collective groups of professional fishermen and has a total budget of €1.395 million. Its funding comes from the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFF) and the Republic of Cyprus.
Beneficiaries of the plan are professional fishermen holding a professional license A, B or a multi-purpose fishing license. The compensation paid amounts to €4.73 per kilogram of sea bream collected.
To date, eleven collective groups have submitted an application for participation, in which approximately 150 fishermen participate. According to the data presented by Ms. Georgiou, approximately €487,000 have already been paid to beneficiary fishermen, an amount corresponding to the collection of approximately 103,000 kilograms of sea bream from Cypriot coastal waters.
The officer of the Department of Fisheries clarified that apart from the existing management plan, no other specialized management measures for the species are currently being implemented. As he stated, the plan was primarily designed to limit the negative consequences that the sea bream causes to coastal fisheries, such as damage to fishing gear, destruction or loss of catches and the financial burdens suffered by professional fishermen.
At the same time, he underlined that the sea is a particularly dynamic ecosystem, in which species populations and ecological interactions are constantly changing. Although the presence of the sea bream has affected the balance in some local ecosystems, the scientific community
