Is there any progress on establishing an all-embracing Marine Park in the Ionian Sea?
In April 2024, in light of the international "Our Ocean Conference" that took place in Athens, the Greek State announced the intention of establishing two new extensive Marine Parks, one in the Aegean and one in the Ionian Sea. According to the latest reports, the documentation study for the proposed Marine Park in the Aegean is now in its final stages, while the study for the proposed Marine Park in the Ionian Sea is expected to be completed by the end of the year.
The creation of a new National Marine Park in the Ionian Sea that would include both Laganas Bay in Zakynthos and Kyparissia Bay in western Peloponnese was firstly proposed by ARCHELON in 2012 (Margaritoulis D., Dimopoulos D. 2012). These two marine areas are critical nesting sites for loggerhead sea turtles, an iconic species for Mediterranean marine wildlife.
"For decades, ARCHELON has worked tirelessly to protect sea turtles and their habitats in Greece," said Dimitris Margaritoulis, member of ARCHELON's Scientific Committee. "The creation of a broader marine park is an important step to ensure the long-term survival of this iconic species and safeguard the sensitive marine ecosystems of Western Greece."
The new marine park will not only benefit sea turtles, but also protect marine biodiversity at large, a wide range of marine ecosystems, as well as cultural heritage sites. We are awaiting the results of the study with great interest, as the establishment of the new Marine Park in the Ionian Sea will be a landmark for the protection of sea turtles in the Mediterranean.
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