Invasive species in Mediterranean exceed 1,000, study warns of ecosystem pressure

The number of recorded invasive marine species in the Mediterranean Sea has surpassed 1,000, with a new species entering the basin's waters roughly every two weeks, according to a study coordinated by the Cyprus Academy of Sciences, Letters and Arts, with contributions from researchers from 11 countries. The study highlights a steady rise in species arriving via the Suez Canal from the Red Sea and Indian Ocean, alongside the eastward spread of tropical organisms driven by rising sea temperatures. Researchers noted that warming waters in the eastern Mediterranean have enabled tropical species to establish and reproduce, accelerating the spread of fish and crustaceans from coastal areas into inland waters. Lionfish, rabbitfish and silver-cheeked toadfish are cited as prominent examples: lionfish compete with native species for food, rabbitfish reduce seagrass cover, and toadfish damage fishing nets and carry a potent neurotoxin. Greece has recorded more than 230 non-native species in its waters over recent decades, while around the island of Crete toadfish have increasingly damaged nets and octopus catches. Although the Mediterranean covers less than 1% of the world's oceans, it hosts roughly 18% of known marine species, a concentration that magnifies the regional impact of biological changes. In Cyprus and Greece, authorities and researchers are testing selective fishing gear, incentive programs and potential commercial uses, including pharmaceutical, cosmetic and feed products derived from toadfish skin.