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The punk and the bruiser: Invasive species thrive as global warming transforms the Mediterranean
Scientists say warming seas and the Suez Canal have helped more than 1,000 non-native species spread, threatening fisheries and native marine life.
- A new invasive species enters the Mediterranean every two weeks, according to a recent survey by the Cyprus Academy of Sciences, Letters and Arts, threatening a sea that holds 18% of global marine species despite representing just 0.8% of ocean area.
- Warming sea temperatures and the Suez Canal have eased access for tropical species from the Red Sea, enabling more than 1,000 non-indigenous species to now inhabit the Mediterranean, up from fewer than 800 recorded in 2012–2017.
- Invasive lionfish lack natural predators and consume native fish and crustaceans in large volumes. "Changes have been drastic, especially since 2000," said Periklis Kleitou, a marine scientist at the Cyprus-based Marine and Environmental Research lab.
- Scientists at the Marine and Environmental Research lab are testing selective traps to manage populations, while chef Petros Yiangou encourages harvesting invasive species, saying "it's a high quality, delicious fish" that consumers now appreciate.
- Sustained, long-term monitoring is essential as newcomers reshape food chains and threaten fisheries. "Invasive species are taking over our seas, and that affects the local biodiversity as well as the economy," said Christina Kakoulli, a marine biologist at MER.
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Near Cyprus, Pepis, fishing captain, capture of lionfish, invasive species threatening Mediterranean biodiversity. Their proliferation, facilitated by global warming and the Suez Canal,...
Cyprus battles invasive lionfish as Mediterranean waters warm
Pepis, the bearded skipper of a small fishing boat, deftly picks up two lionfish caught in experimental traps off the coast of Cyprus, cuts off their venomous spines, guts them and tosses them into a bucket. Around him, the Mediterranean looks like a pane of glass, its calm surface giving little hint of the dramatic […]
·Nicosia, Cyprus
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wr.de+2 Reposted by 2 other sources
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Coverage Details
Total News Sources12
Leaning Left2Leaning Right1Center3Last UpdatedBias Distribution50% Center
Bias Distribution
- 50% of the sources are Center
50% Center
L 33%
C 50%
R 17%
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