In a bold step toward restoring marine life and supporting local communities, Greece made an announcement in May banning bottom trawling in the coral-rich waters surrounding the Fournoi archipelago.
Greece has also pledged to phase out bottom trawling in all protected marine areas by 2030 and is the first European Union country to do this, as Agence France-Presse reported. The country will start with a ban in national marine parks by 2026.
The decision comes on the heels of an extraordinary scientific discovery: vast, ancient coral reefs lying more than 200 feet below the Aegean Sea's surface. These vibrant "underwater forests" host more than 300 species, including red gorgonians and black corals, and — due to their depth — have remained less affected by rising ocean temperatures, according to a scientist quoted by AFP. Yet the habitats are incredibly vulnerable to trawling nets that can destroy them in a single pass.
The Fournoi community, home to fewer than 1,500 people, has long relied on fishing for food and income. But in recent years, islanders such as 76-year-old Manolis Mytikas have seen their catches dwindle. "Sometimes, we don't even have enough to eat," he told AFP. Now, there's hope that the sea — and the local economy — can rebound.
"Finally! They've ravaged the sea," Mytikas said of trawlers. "If we stop them from coming here, our sea will come back to life."
Still, not everyone is on board. Larger commercial fishers argue that they weren't consulted and warn that restrictions could affect jobs and raise fish prices. "Our fishing spaces keep shrinking," one trawler cooperative representative said, per AFP. "Our activity is under threat, and consumers will suffer."
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However, scientists say the long-term payoff is worthwhile for both ecosystems and communities. "Once destroyed, these forests may take decades or even centuries to recover," marine biologist Lorenzo Bramanti said, adding that deeper reefs like these could be "among the last ecosystems still untouched by climate change."
Greece's decision could ripple across the Mediterranean — and beyond — as a model for ocean protection that puts people and the planet first.
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