On-site inspections in the National Marine Park of Zakynthos and the Kyparissia Bay Nature Protection Area, the two largest nesting areas of the Loggerhead (Caretta caretta) in the Mediterranean, were carried out from 17 to 20 June 2025 by representatives of the Bern Convention of the Council of Europe, following the presentations of MEDASSET - in collaboration with ARCHELON and WWF Greece - at the 44th Session of the Standing Committee of the Bern Convention (Council of Europe, 2 - 6 December 2024). The experts were in Greece to monitor the implementation of the Recommendations adopted by the Standing Committee of the Bern Convention to our country regarding the protection of the Loggerhead sea turtle and the ongoing threats faced by the species in its largest breeding habitats in the Mediterranean.

Purpose of the mission

The experts' mission aimed to assess the state of conservation and protection of the critical habitats of the Loggerhead sea turtle in Greece, seeking to determine the country's compliance or not with its current institutional framework and international commitments, as well as to record the problems that still exist despite the multi-year Recommendations. The on-site inspections were carried out in the context of the open files:

• Implementation of Recommendations No. 7 (1987) and No. 9 (1987) for the protection of the loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) in Laganas Bay and,
• Implementation of Recommendation No. 174 (2014) on the protection of the loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta), and coastal habitat types in Kyparissia Bay

The situation in Zakynthos

Despite the fact that the Laganas Bay case will complete 40 years of monitoring by the competent bodies of the Convention in 2026, serious and chronic violations are still being recorded, including:

• Illegal constructions and activities, such as the illegal opening of a road between the nesting beaches of Gerakas and Daphne and the illegal construction works in Marathonisi, under the guise of the restoration of a building complex. Specifically for the case of Marathonisi, just last March, in an urgent letter to the Building Service of the Municipality of Zakynthos, the environmental organizations MEDASSET, ARCHELON and WWF Greece pointed out that the ongoing works on Marathonisi threaten the nesting beach with serious and immediate degradation, through the compression of the sand by heavy machinery, the alteration of the geomorphological composition of the beach due to expected erosion from land reclamation, the destruction of the sand dunes, and ultimately the serious disturbance of the nesting process itself. In order to address this major threat to the protected ecosystem, MEDASSET and WWF Greece have appealed to the Council of State.
• Incomplete implementation of protection measures, and in particular violation of speed limits in the marine area, increased levels of noise and light pollution, as well as human presence on the beaches at night.
• Illegal passage of vehicles on protected beaches and in the sand dune area.
• Failure to restore the old landfill, with the known environmental impacts.
• Exceeding the carrying capacity of the beaches, without respecting the maximum number of visitors provided for by the presidential decree of the National Marine Environment Protection Agency.
• Destruction of sand dune ecosystems that are a critical element for the sustainability of spawning beaches.
• Failure to remove illegal buildings in the Daphne area.
• Failure to remove beach furniture during night hours.
• Disturbance from organized activities, such as sea turtle monitoring, by numerous tourist boats, which disrupts the natural behavior of the species.
• Insufficient guarding and surveillance, as well as failure to comply with the distinctions of the institutional framework per zone of the National Marine Park of Zakynthos.

During the mission to Zakynthos, meetings were held with the local authorities, as well as on-site inspections both in the morning and evening hours in the areas of Gerakas, Daphne, Crystal, Kalamaki, Laganas and Marathonisi. Unfortunately, the fragmented participation or even absence of some of the competent bodies is indicative of the serious problem of coordination and effective treatment of the various problems associated with the management and protection of the habitat. At the same time, despite the management measures implemented by the local Management Unit of the Natural Environment and Climate Change Agency, the constant underestimation of the importance of the problems by the Ministry of Environment and Energy, perpetuates rather than resolves the existing problematic regime, further jeopardizing the commonly sought protection of sea turtles. The increase in number of nests recorded by ARCHELON and the local Management Unit is a positive indicator, but it does not ensure the balance of the sea turtle population, which is inextricably linked to the continuous adoption of protection measures and certainly does not constitute a sufficient and necessary condition to promote the closure of open cases.

The situation in Kyparissia Bay

Similarly, for the open file of Kyparissia Bay, as this year marks 11 years since the adoption of Recommendation No. 174 in 2014, and despite the issuance of the Presidential Decree in 2018, a series of violations continue to be recorded every year, including:

• Construction of illegal buildings along the protected coastal zone.
• Continued agricultural use and cultivation of alien species on the nesting beaches and sand dunes, resulting in the destruction of the sand dunes and their failure to restore them.
• Fishing very close to the coast, resulting in the risk of sea turtles becoming ensnared in nets.
• Unhindered vehicle access to the nesting beaches and the dune zone.
• Failure to remove beach furniture at night.
• Human presence at night due to inadequate security.
• Illegal camping in the protected forest ecosystem.
• Light pollution causing disorientation of the hatchlings.

During the inspection in Kyparissia Bay, the experts had the opportunity to see the pressures up close that the core of the habitat is under, while emphasis was placed on the absence of the relevant services. Here too, the Ministry of Environment and Energy cited the increase in nests, according to ARCHELON data. However, it became clear that the observed increase is due to the massive nest protection carried out by ARCHELON since 1992, which has reduced the destruction of eggs (due to predation) from >50% to 13%. Therefore, the population is dependent on conservation measures that must be continued.

After the inspections, what?

The situation recorded during the on-site inspections confirms the urgent need for:

• Strict implementation of the existing institutional framework, both the Presidential Decrees for the protection of the two most important habitats, and the broader environmental legislation.

• Immediate reinforcement of the bodies responsible for the management and protection of the areas, and completion of their management plans, with the aim of effectively protecting the critical habitats of Caretta caretta.

Zakynthos is one of the most recognizable tourist destinations internationally. However, tourist activity must coexist harmoniously with the need to preserve biodiversity and protect a species of global importance. The peak period for tourism coincides with the critical nesting period of sea turtles.

Similarly, Kyparissia Bay, despite its significant ecological value, is under increasing pressure every year from human activities that are carried out without control and planning. The protection of the Bay is a necessary condition for the preservation of biodiversity and ecological balance. The implementation of the necessary measures is not only an obligation for all stakeholders, but also works for the benefit of the local community and economy. There can be no sustainable tourism development without respect for nature and the valuable inhabitants of the sea.

In the coming period, the experts' report will be completed, which is expected to contribute to the necessary next steps that must be taken by the competent authorities, in order to ensure the achievement of the protection objectives in these two unique areas for Mediterranean nature.

The environmental organizations:

• ARCHELON
• Medasset
• WWF Greece