New Ionian Marine Park Announced!

Kyriakos Mitsotakis, the Greek Prime Minister, has announced two huge new marine parks will be created. The newly announced Ionian Marine National Park will cover an area of over 14,000 square kilometers, stretching from north of Kefalonia to south of Antikythira. This makes it one of the largest marine protected areas in the Mediterranean and represents more than 11% of Greece’s territorial waters. The park will build on and connect existing Natura 2000 protected zones, including 13 designated areas, and its core will encompass the Ionian segment of the Hellenic Trench, which is a region of significant ecological importance.

Map showing parts of Greece, shaded areas for two new national marine parks—including the Ionian marine park—in the Ionian and Aegean Seas, Natura marine areas, and a highlighted area reserved for mining in the Kyparissia Gulf.

The Greek government also announced a new Cycladic marine park at the same time. The two new parks will join the existing Alonissos marine park in the Sporades.

Key Features and Conservation Measures

  • The park will include critical habitats for endangered species such as the Mediterranean monk seal and loggerhead sea turtles, as well as important marine mammal and fish populations.
  • The initiative is part of Greece's commitment to the "30×30" global target, aiming to protect at least 30% of its territorial waters by 2030.
  • Once established, the park will ban bottom trawling and may include “no-take” zones, where all extractive activities are prohibited, covering 10% of Greek territorial waters.
  • The park will be monitored using drones, satellites, and artificial intelligence, with effective governance involving NGOs and local communities.

This post was written by Tom Fletcher

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