Greece Launches Vast New Marine Park, Banning Trawling Across Thousands of Square Kilometers

Greece just took a major step toward protecting its ocean waters by creating two enormous new Greek marine parks that will ban destructive fishing practices and shelter threatened sea life across thousands of square kilometers of the Mediterranean Sea.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced the new protected zones in the Ionian Sea and Southern Cyclades region during a televised address, declaring that Greece would meet its ocean conservation targets years ahead of schedule. The parks will safeguard vulnerable marine ecosystems while establishing some of the Mediterranean’s largest protected ocean territories.

The announcement follows Mitsotakis’s pledge at a United Nations ocean conference in France, where he promised to honour Greece’s maritime heritage by protecting it for future generations. He emphasized that the sea has always shaped Greek culture and history, and that protecting these waters means protecting the nation’s future.

Trawling, a fishing method that drags heavy nets across the seafloor and destroys marine habitats, will be banned entirely within both parks. This practice has devastated ocean floors throughout the Mediterranean, wiping out coral beds, seagrass meadows, and the countless creatures that depend on these ecosystems. The ban represents a significant shift in how Greece manages its waters, balancing commercial fishing with environmental protection.

The two marine parks will help Greece protect nearly one-third of its territorial waters by the end of this decade, reaching the international target of safeguarding thirty percent of ocean areas. What makes this achievement remarkable is that Greece will hit this goal much earlier than originally planned, setting an example for other Mediterranean countries struggling to meet their conservation commitments.

The Southern Cyclades park incorporates existing protected sites that were already part of the European Union’s Natura 2000 network, a collection of conservation areas designed to protect threatened species and habitats. The new park brings together scattered protection zones into one cohesive area that’s easier to monitor and manage effectively. The park will cover a substantial portion of the South Aegean Sea, creating safe zones where marine life can recover from decades of overfishing and habitat destruction.

The Ionian Sea park similarly integrates multiple existing protected areas into a single managed zone. Together, the two parks expanded significantly from their initial proposals, growing in size after comprehensive environmental assessments identified additional areas that required protection. The final boundaries reflect ecological value rather than arbitrary lines on a map.

Greece plans to monitor these vast ocean territories using modern surveillance technology, including drones, radar systems, and satellite imagery. The Natural Environment and Climate Change Agency will oversee enforcement, watching for illegal fishing and other prohibited activities. This integrated approach should make protection more effective than relying solely on traditional patrol boats, which cannot cover such extensive areas.

Implementation of the new Greek marine park protections will follow the completion of public consultation processes required under national and European Union legislation. The parks were established following Specific Environmental Assessments that evaluated ecological and environmental values across the regions. These assessments ensure the boundaries make scientific sense and that enforcement strategies can work in practice. While the announcement marks a major commitment, actual enforcement of fishing bans and activity restrictions will roll out as monitoring systems come online and management frameworks get established.

Mitsotakis referenced the recent documentary by naturalist David Attenborough about ocean conservation, saying it reinforced his commitment to better managing Greece’s seas. He stressed that Greeks must see themselves as custodians of the ocean rather than owners who can exploit it without consequences. This shift in perspective reflects growing recognition that healthy oceans benefit everyone, not just environmental activists.

The parks won’t just exclude fishermen and close off waters. Greek officials plan to work with local fishing communities, scientists, and international partners to make these protected areas models of what’s possible when conservation and human needs align. Education programs will help people understand why these protections are important and how healthy oceans support coastal economies through tourism and sustainable fishing practices.

For coastal communities surrounding the new Greek marine park zones, the economic implications extend beyond short-term fishing restrictions. Healthy marine ecosystems attract diving tourism, support recreational fishing industries, and maintain fish populations that eventually benefit commercial fishermen working outside park boundaries. Mediterranean countries with established marine protected areas have seen an increase in tourism revenue as visitors seek pristine waters and abundant marine life. Meanwhile, the recovery of fish stocks within protected zones creates spillover effects, with growing populations spreading into adjacent fishing grounds and replenishing depleted areas over time.

Marine protected areas work by providing ecosystems with the time and space they need to heal. When fishing pressure decreases and destructive practices stop, fish populations rebound, coral grows back, and entire food webs recover. These recovered areas often become more productive than before, eventually supporting more fish even outside park boundaries as populations spread into surrounding waters.

For Mediterranean communities, healthy marine ecosystems mean more than just fish. Seagrass meadows filter water, protect coastlines from erosion, and store carbon that would otherwise contribute to climate change. Coral reefs and rocky habitats shelter juvenile fish that replenish commercial stocks. When these ecosystems collapse, coastal communities lose their natural protections against storms and rising sea levels.

The climate connection makes the new Greek marine park initiative particularly timely. Ocean ecosystems play a crucial role in regulating Earth’s climate by absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Seagrass beds and other coastal habitats store carbon in their roots and sediments, sometimes for thousands of years. When trawling destroys these habitats, it releases stored carbon back into the atmosphere, contributing to global warming. By banning trawling and protecting these carbon-storing ecosystems, Greece’s marine parks will help fight climate change while protecting biodiversity. Healthy ocean ecosystems also make coastlines more resilient to rising sea levels and stronger storms, both of which threaten Mediterranean communities as temperatures climb.

Greece’s announcement comes during growing tension over Mediterranean maritime boundaries, particularly with Turkey and Libya. While Mitsotakis focused exclusively on environmental protection in his public message, the decision to create these parks in specific locations carries diplomatic weight, signalling Greek authority over disputed waters.

The Mediterranean Sea has suffered from centuries of overfishing, pollution, and coastal development. Creating large protected areas represents one of the few proven strategies for reversing this damage. Similar initiatives across the Mediterranean have shown promising results, with Spain’s marine reserves demonstrating fish population recoveries within years of protection. If Greece succeeds in making these parks work, other Mediterranean nations might follow, creating a network of protected waters that allows the sea to recover its former abundance.

The establishment of each new Greek marine park represents more than lines on a map or restrictions on fishing. These protected zones embody a fundamental rethinking of humanity’s relationship with the ocean, moving from extraction and exploitation toward stewardship and sustainability. As coastal nations worldwide struggle to balance economic needs with environmental protection, Greece’s ambitious marine conservation effort may offer a roadmap for others to follow.