LIFE PROMETHEUS Presented at the Greek Parliament: Addressing the Lionfish Invasion in the Mediterranean

Athens, Greece, February 4, 2025 – The LIFE PROMETHEUS project, coordinated by the Università Politecnica delle Marche (UNIVPM) and co-financed by the EU LIFE+ Funding Programme, was presented at the Greek Parliament on February 4, 2025, during a session held by the Subcommittee on Water Resources of the Special Permanent Committee on Environmental Protection. The event was chaired by Dionysia-Theodora Avgerinopoulou and focused on strategies for controlling the invasive lionfish population in Greek and Mediterranean waters.

The session, attended by 40 participants, including 18 members from 9 political parties (New Democracy, SYRIZA, PASOK-KINAL, Greek Solution, Communist Party of Greece (KKE), MeRA25, Niki, Plefsi Eleftherias, and Course of Freedom), along with other government officials and experts, aimed to raise awareness about the ecological impact of lionfish in the Mediterranean.

Dr. Periklis Kleitou, a leading expert from MER Cyprus, presented the case of lionfish in Cyprus, providing insights into its introduction, past efforts to control the species, and ongoing management strategies. He highlighted the use of SCUBA divers under special permits from the Department of Fisheries and Marine Research (DFMR) for removal efforts and introduced the LIFE PROMETHEUS project, which focuses on testing and optimizing specialized traps for controlling invasive alien species.

The event provided a platform for dialogue between policymakers, scientists, and conservationists to discuss the lionfish invasion and explore collaborative solutions to protect the Mediterranean’s marine biodiversity.