The Guardian has published a report on the growing concern in Greece over the spread of the silver-cheeked toadfish, an invasive toxic pufferfish increasingly found in Greek waters.

The British newspaper focuses mainly on Euboea, one of the areas affected by the phenomenon, where local authorities have begun installing floating protective barriers in swimming areas. The measures are aimed at reassuring swimmers and addressing concerns among fishermen, who say the species is damaging nets and catches.

The report opens with Pavlos Belegiannis, a retired truck driver, watching his grandchildren swim in his favourite cove from a sun lounger. The scene appears idyllic, but for him the key word is safety. For the first time, a floating protective barrier has been installed in the bay. The children play in the water but do not swim beyond it.

“Thank God it’s there to protect them,” he tells The Guardian. “When I was a child, there were no such dangers in these waters.”

Until last summer, the main concern in the northern Euboean Gulf, the waters separating Euboea from mainland Greece, had been purple jellyfish, whose stings had sent many swimmers to pharmacies in Chalkida.

Now, however, the appearance of the silver-cheeked toadfish, known in Greek as lagokefalos, has caused a different kind of anxiety. The species has powerful beak-like jaws capable of causing serious injuries, while its body contains tetrodotoxin, a potentially lethal neurotoxin.

The Greek Red Cross has issued a public health warning, urging citizens to seek immediate medical attention in the event of a bite, as the fish’s jaws can cause serious wounds and heavy bleeding. It has also warned that the species must not be consumed under any circumstances, as its organs and flesh contain tetrodotoxin. There is no known antidote.

“Our priority is the safety of our citizens”

“Our duty and our primary concern must be the safety of our citizens,” Antonis Spanos, deputy mayor of Chalkida, told The Guardian. He oversaw the installation of the first floating barrier of its kind in Greece. “Better safe than sorry,” he added.

The 40-year-old deputy mayor said the authorities had worked for months to secure funding, complete the necessary procedures and install the most suitable system, which was approved by the General Chemical State Laboratory.

In total, 2.5 kilometres of protective netting will be installed in the area’s bays. “Last year we had a big problem with jellyfish, but as we say in Greek, we’re killing two birds with one stone. Now, if pufferfish show up, we’ll be ready,” he said, adding that many elderly residents had been calling City Hall to ask when the barriers would be installed.

According to Spanos, one woman had called that morning to say she would only feel safe going swimming with her grandchildren once the barriers were in place.

“I never thought the day would come when I’d do something like this”

Chalkida is not the only area taking measures, The Guardian reports. Nikos Chouliéris, 63, who has run a diving school for years, was recently at sea with his team, securing new barriers on the seabed at other beaches along the Euboean coast.

“I’ve been diving for over 40 years and never thought the day would come when I’d do something like this,” he said. “Sea temperatures have definitely risen, and this has created much more favourable conditions for what we’re seeing today.”

In the coming weeks, around seven kilometres of floating barriers are expected to be transported to the area from Athens.

“I don’t think there’s anything that can get through this net, not even the teeth of a pufferfish. It’s very dense and durable,” Chouliéris added.

The spread of the silver-cheeked toadfish in the Mediterranean

The spread of Lagocephalus sceleratus is now so extensive that experts describe it as a problem affecting the entire eastern Mediterranean.

Like the lionfish, the species originates from the Indo-Pacific and is believed to have entered the Mediterranean through the Suez Canal, aided by rising sea temperatures.

Fishermen in Cyprus were among the first to report serious damage to their nets and catches. In 2024, Cypriot authorities offered financial incentives to control the species, resulting in the removal of more than 103 tonnes of pufferfish from coastal waters.

Athens has announced a similar programme, offering €5.33 per kilogram for every silver-cheeked toadfish handed over to the authorities.

Greek fishermen will also receive fuel subsidies through a European programme that will initially be implemented in Crete and the southern Aegean. The fish collected will be frozen and destroyed at state-run facilities.

Reactions and differing views

Not everyone agrees with the measures. Some fishermen, as The Guardian notes, believe the intervention has come too late and that the spread of the species is now part of a new reality.

“The waters have warmed, these fish have migrated, and no measure will be truly effective,” said 54-year-old Nikos Agiaskoufitis.

At the same time, a group calling for the protection of the species has spoken out, arguing that efforts to exterminate the fish raise “serious ethical issues.”

Yiannis Batzakas, a scientist at the University of the Aegean, believes that reports about the danger posed by encounters with the fish have been exaggerated.

“Yes, they have big teeth and look scary. Yes, they can cause problems for fishermen and their nets. But like most wild animals, they don’t attack people. If they do, it’s very rare and only because they’ve been provoked,” he said.

For Belegiannis, however, the concern remains. Watching his grandchildren play in the sea behind the protective barrier, he said such measures should be introduced more widely across Greece.

“If you ask me, these barriers should be installed all over Greece,” he said. “I saw two jellyfish outside this one this morning. Why not pufferfish? You never know what’s coming next.”

Photo: The Guardian