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Greece launches EU-funded program to combat invasive toxic pufferfish

Friday, 26 June 2026/Source: Keep Talking Greece/1 min read

Greece's Ministry of Rural Development and Food has announced subsidies, funded through EU programs, to address the growing presence of toxic pufferfish (Lagocephalus sceleratus) in Greek waters, including around Crete. The species, an invasive Lessepsian migrant from the Red Sea, poses a serious risk to the local fishing industry and has been spreading throughout the Mediterranean. For tourists visiting Crete, the key practical point is food safety: never consume pufferfish, which may occasionally appear in local catches. Licensed tavernas and fish markets are regulated and will not serve it, so eating at established venues carries no risk. The subsidies aim to incentivize fishermen to remove the species from the water, helping protect both the local ecosystem and the broader seafood supply that supports Crete's fishing communities and tourism sector.

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