Publication – Reproductive dynamics of the invasive lionfish (Pterois miles)

The Indo-Pacific origin lionfish Pterois miles has invaded the Mediterranean Sea in 2012 through the Suez Canal. The limited natural predators of lionfish in its newly introduced habitats, naïve prey, generalist predation and adaptability, and rapid growth rates, have led to a rapid population spread and expansion of its distribution to the entire eastern basin. […]

Increasing awareness about invasive species through the press – “The Telegraph” and “Proti Ekpompi”

MER continue increasing awareness and educating the public about the introduction of non-indigenous species (NIS), their impacts, and the role of citizens in helping monitor and combat invasive species. Specifically, on September we met with Telegraph journalist, Mr Nick Squires, in Cyprus and we discussed the problem of invasive species spread, met with fishers and […]

Protection of Posidonia oceanica in an archaeological site

Posidonia oceanica at Amathounta ancient port The work activities at Amathounta ancient port, as part of the Interreg EU project ΑνΔιΚαT (https://andikat.eu/), have been subject to discussion and scrutiny over the recent months, and as MER we feel obligated to state our opinion and role in the matter. When we first found out about the […]

7th Lionfish Removal Competition

  The first reports from Cyprus in 2012-2013 marked the beginning of the uncontrolled invasion that we have been witnessing ever since.  A ferocious invader with venomous spines that protect it from predators, rapid reproduction, early maturity, rapid growth, huge appetite and generalist behaviour, the lionfish is becoming alarmingly abundant in the eastern Mediterranean; threatening […]

Publication – Seagrass microbial communities

  Elective affinities or random choice within the seagrass holobiont? The case of the native Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile and the exotic Halophila stipulacea (Forssk.) Asch. from the same site (Limassol, Cyprus) Seagrasses provide many benefits to our ecosystems, they effectively capture and store carbon, act as wave breakers, and produce huge amounts of oxygen […]

Publication – Fisheries in a Marine Protected Area: Insights about illegal fishing

  Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) have been widely promoted as an essential tool for preserving fisheries resources, recovering marine biodiversity and ecosystem properties. The EU Biodiversity Strategy targeted a 30% of the EU Sea to be protected by 2030 including a 10% of strictly protected areas (no fishing allowed). However, little is known about the […]

Publication – Checklist of Chondrichthyans in Cyprus

Chondrichthyans (sharks, rays, skates and chimaeras) play a pivotal role in the marine environment providing stability to coastal and oceanic ecosystem structures and functions. Today, about half of the Mediterranean sharks and batoids are threatened with extinction, mainly due to by-catch (unintentional catch). Nevertheless, research on chondrichthyes, especially in the Eastern Mediterranean, is limited. In […]

Publication on elasmobranch fisheries and trade in Greece

Approaching the “real” state of elasmobranch fisheries and trade: A case study from the Mediterranean Elasmobranchs (sharks, rays and skates) are vulnerable taxa with 50% threatened with extinction, extirpations and steep population declines in the Mediterranean Sea. One of the major threats to elasmobranchs is fisheries exploitation of targeted or bycatch with a shocking 50-60% […]

New publication – Reforms in the management of alien species

Non-indigenous species (also known as alien or non-native) are species introduced outside their natural past or present range, which might survive and subsequently reproduce. There are more than 800 non-indigenous species in the Mediterranean, and the number has been exponentially growing in the recent decades, particularly through the Suez Canal. They are characterized as a […]