Greeks Alarmed Over This Fish Loved by Koreans... No Natural Predators, Fishing Industry at Risk

Invasive Pufferfish Enter via Suez Canal
Severe Threat to Greek Fisheries Including Crete
Estimated Annual Damage of 8,500 Euros per Boat

An invasive species of pufferfish that eats everything in its path and even tears fishing nets apart is threatening Greece's fishing industry.

Pufferfish discovered in Crete. Fishbase official website

According to Yonhap News on June 17 (local time), citing AFP, fishermen in Crete, Greece's largest island, and other regions are suffering severe losses, such as a drastic decline in catch volume, due to an explosive increase in the number of pufferfish.

Pufferfish, which inhabit warm seas, exist in over 200 species worldwide, with three of them establishing themselves in the eastern Mediterranean. Among them, the main culprit causing the most trouble for fishermen is the silver-cheeked toadfish (scientific name: Lagocephalus sceleratus), measuring 40 to 60 centimeters in length. This species, which used to inhabit the Red Sea, Indian Ocean, and Pacific Ocean, is believed to have entered the Mediterranean through the Suez Canal. Nota Peristeraki, a biologist at the Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (HCMR), stated that pufferfish were first discovered in Greek waters in 2005.

This pufferfish has no natural predators and consumes everything it encounters. Greek fisherman Yannis Giankakis told AFP, "The pufferfish is an omnivorous fish that eats indiscriminately," adding, "Among other fish, it seems to have no natural enemies and nothing to be wary of."

The threat goes beyond its voracious appetite. With a beak-like mouth strong enough to bite through wood and metal, it not only devours crabs, shrimp, and squid but also tears fishing nets apart. HCMR estimates that each fishing boat suffers annual damages of 8,500 euros (approximately 14.9 million won) due to pufferfish. Fisherman Alexis Charalambakis lamented, "If you get bitten, you could lose an entire finger. It's a destroyer of the sea."

Disposal is also a headache. Pufferfish contain a toxic substance called tetrodotoxin, which can cause paralysis and respiratory failure if consumed incorrectly, and in severe cases, can be fatal. In Korea, where pufferfish is a popular dish, only those with a license are allowed to work as pufferfish chefs.

The fishermen are calling on the government to step in to reduce the population. They argue that with subsidies, they could directly hunt pufferfish and help decrease their numbers. In February, then-Deputy Minister of Agriculture Christos Kellas told parliament that a support program for fishermen was under review. Neighboring Cyprus is already operating a support program to reduce the pufferfish population.

Meanwhile, Greek scientists are researching ways to neutralize the pufferfish's toxicity to make it commercially viable. Currently, pufferfish are classified as Class 1 industrial waste, similar to hazardous industrial byproducts, and under European Union (EU) regulations, incineration is the only permitted disposal method. HCMR researcher Manolis Mandalakis said, "We're looking for alternatives that use less energy," suggesting that pufferfish could potentially be used as fertilizer or fish feed.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.