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Reward per kilo captured, lethal toxin, and fishing losses place the Lagocephalus sceleratus at the center of an offensive in the Mediterranean, where governments attempt to contain the expansion of the invasive pufferfish without turning the environmental risk into a threat to tourism.
Greece has started paying professional fishermen for capturing the Lagocephalus sceleratus, an invasive and poisonous pufferfish advancing through the Mediterranean, damaging fishing nets and worrying coastal communities, especially in Crete and other islands affected by the species.
Under the program announced by the Greek government, each kilo delivered to the authorities earns 5.33 euros for the fishermen, in an attempt to reduce losses to artisanal fishing and contain the expansion of an animal that has become an environmental and economic problem.
Known in English as the silver-cheeked toadfish, the fish belongs to the pufferfish family and is notable for its strong teeth, its bite capable of destroying equipment, and the presence of a dangerous neurotoxin in its skin and organs.
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According to the Associated Press, this substance can cause heart failure in humans if the animal is consumed, which is why the captured specimens do not enter the food chain and are given controlled disposal by the authorities.
Invasive pufferfish threatens fishing in the Mediterranean
Originally associated with tropical waters, the species is believed to have reached the Mediterranean through the Suez Canal, aided by the warming waters and the absence of sufficient natural barriers in parts of the eastern Mediterranean.
The pressure on coastal fishing increased as the fish spread to areas where it finds no significant predators, a situation that has increased damage to small vessels and made the routine at sea more expensive for local fishermen.
On the Greek islands, the impact is mainly seen in the nets, longlines, and the loss of part of the catch that would be sold, as the pufferfish attacks equipment and consumes commercially valuable fish before retrieval.
Fisherman Giorgos Kyriakakis, a member of an association in Crete, told the Greek public broadcaster ERT that the routine has become more unproductive and expensive. “It has come to the point where we fish one day and spend the next three days repairing our nets,” he said.
To reduce this loss, the financial incentive aims to turn a recurring loss into an organized response, with payment per kilo captured and removal of the specimens from circulation before they can cause further damage to fishing activities.
After being collected, the fish will be frozen and later incinerated in facilities managed by local authorities, a procedure adopted to avoid any risk of human consumption due to the toxicity associated with the animal.
Greece’s Program Targets Most Affected Islands
The Greek Minister of Agriculture, Margaritis Schinas, stated that this is the first measure of its kind adopted in the country and indicated that the initiative will start with the islands where the presence of the fish is already causing more severe impacts.
As needed, the program may be expanded to other Greek waters, especially in coastal regions where artisanal fishermen depend on frequent sea trips and face high costs for net repairs and equipment replacement.
Although payment per kilo serves as a direct incentive for capture, authorities and experts avoid presenting the measure as a definitive solution, as the species has a high capacity for adaptation and a consolidated presence in part of the Mediterranean.
The immediate goal is to reduce pressure on fishing, remove specimens from the most affected areas, and control part of the removed population, without suggesting that the invasive pufferfish will be eliminated from Greek waters in the short term.
Cyprus Has Already Removed Over 103 Tons from the Sea
A similar experience is already taking place in Cyprus, where a subsidy program has removed over 103 tons of the invasive pufferfish from the country’s waters since the operation began in June 2024.
According to the Cyprus Mail, the Department of Fisheries reported that about 103,000 kilos were collected in the Cypriot scheme, which pays 4.73 euros per kilo to eligible fishermen.
The program is jointly funded by the European Fisheries Fund and the government of Cyprus, with plans to operate until the end of 2029, as part of a prolonged strategy to control the species.
So far, Cypriot authorities have reported paying about 487,000 euros to participants, in a model that brings together 11 collective groups and represents approximately 150 professional fishermen involved in the capture.
Speaking to the Sigma broadcaster and quoted by the Cyprus Mail, fisheries officer Katerina Georgiou classified the Lagocephalus sceleratus as one of the most important invasive exotic species already established in the eastern Mediterranean.
Her assessment highlights two factors that help explain the fish’s expansion: the animal’s adaptability to new areas and the lack of relevant natural predators capable of consistently containing its population.
Tourism in the Greek Islands Does Not Have a Generalized Alert
Even with growing concern among fishermen, authorities and entities in Crete have urged caution regarding the risk to swimmers, as the fish have not been spotted in swimming areas of Greek island resorts.
In a statement cited by the Associated Press, 16 medical and tourism associations in Crete stated that the presence of these animals in the Mediterranean has been known for years and does not pose an “invisible” or imminent danger to visitors.
The entities also said that marine predators do not threaten the safety of residents and tourists, although public health guidance continues to focus on prevention in the event of encounters in coastal areas.
In this regard, the Greek Red Cross issued a warning about the fish, with first aid protocols for cases of bleeding bites and a warning about the neurotoxin present in the animal’s organs.
The fight against the invasive pufferfish reveals how environmental changes, artisanal fishing, and food security have begun to intersect in the Mediterranean, forcing governments to combine financial compensation, controlled removal, and careful public communication.
For fishermen, each kilo delivered means partial relief from the losses; for the authorities, it represents an attempt to curb a problem that is no longer isolated in the eastern Mediterranean waters.
To what extent can paying for capture control such an adaptable invasive species?
