Greek fishermen struggle to keep up with pufferfish invaders

Greek fishermen are grappling with an invasive pufferfish threatening catches off Crete, where Lagocephalus sceleratus has become a growing problem over about two decades. The 40-60 cm fish, with no natural predators, can bite through wood and metal with a beak-like mouth and carries tetrodotoxin, a deadly toxin. Nets are shredded and daily catches dwindle as the fish proliferate along southern Greek waters, particularly near Crete. Fishermen like 43-year-old Alexis Charlambakis describe near-daily damage and the broader impact on livelihoods; Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (HCMR) notes annual losses around €8,500 per boat. The warming Mediterranean is aiding the species’ spread from the Red Sea to the Greek coast. The fish pose serious ecological and economic threats, with researchers emphasizing containment and mitigation as fishermen lament, “we cannot survive.”