Recently, Greece made a bold move by becoming the first European country to ban the bottom dredging in all its national marine parks and protected areas. This decision marks a turning point important for ocean conservation in Europe and could inspire other countries to follow suit.
Bottom dredging is a fishing technique destructive which involves dragging heavy nets across the seabed, destroying habitats and releasing carbon into the sea and atmosphere. It not only devastates marine ecosystems, but also threatens biodiversity, compromising the survival of species such as striped dolphins, sperm whales and the already vulnerable Mediterranean monk seal.
Greece's decision
The Greek Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, announced to Our Ocean conference in Athens that Greece will spend 780 million euros to protect its unique marine ecosystems. The goal is to ban bottom dredging in national parks by 2026 and in all marine protected areas by 2030. Additionally, an advanced surveillance system will be established, including the use of dronesto enforce the ban.
Conservationists and environmental organizations welcomed the announcement, hoping it would trigger a Domino effect in other EU countries. However, the decision has also sparked tensions with Turkey, which has warned that proposals for new marine parks in the Aegean Sea are in a disputed area and labeled the initiative as “politically motivated”.
Greece's action could pressure other countries, such as France which hosts the United Nations oceans conference next year, to take similar measures. It is crucial that Europe moves together to find a solution to internal conflicts over marine protection and establish effective common conservation standards.
Have you ever considered how your choices could affect the health of our oceans? Do you think other nations should follow Greece's example? Share your opinion in the comments!
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