Greece's island of Alonissos a model for marine conservation
Off the island of Alonissos — a hot spot for tourism and biodiversity in the eastern Aegean Sea — volunteer divers are pitching in to support an EU-funded cleanup to protect marine life.
Appearances can be deceiving
At first glance, it looks like an archaeological find. Volunteer divers are teaming up to collect garbage from the seabed near the Greek island of Alonissos — tires, plastic bottles, rusty chains and much more. The campaign is part of an EU-funded project to protect the Mediterranean. Alonissos is located in Europe's largest marine protected area and is considered a symbol of sustainable tourism.
Greece's largest marine park
Drone images show the port of Votsi, where volunteers collect garbage from the sea. The marine park off Alonissos was founded in the 1990s. It protects one of the last colonies of monk seals, as well as dolphins, turtles and over 300 species of fish. The protected area is an ecological treasure — and an example of successful nature conservation policy in Greece.
Tackling underwater trash
"We visited five, four areas to check whether we find rubbish in those areas," Theodora Francis, a 31-year-old diver, told Reuters of the two-day initiative run by environmental group Aegean Rebreath. The port of Votsi, a popular tourism and fishing spot, was particularly badly polluted. The protection of such areas requires clear rules for economic use.
Growing awareness
Francis said the existence of the marine park has made both locals and tourists increasingly aware of the risks of marine pollution. That's crucial to bringing about long-term change.
Plan for the future
Greece plans to protect 30% of its territorial waters by 2030, and create two new parks in the Aegean and the Ionian Sea in the west. The measures are part of a €780-million ($887.5 million) plan that also aims to reconcile fishing, tourism and energy.
Individual responsibility
"We really believe in the individual responsibility of people," said George Sarelakos, 46, president of Aegean Rebreath. Founded in 2017, Aegean Rebreath is committed to cleaning up the seabed and protecting biodiversity through educational work and local projects.
Alonissos as a role model
"If every island had the same interest in taking care of their environment, we would have the Alonissos situation in many more islands," said Theodora Francis.
People 'have the strength to change everything'
Aegean Rebreath believes protecting the seas starts with concrete measures, like cleaning up bits of fishing nets caught on the seafloor. "People all over the globe should know that we have the strength to change everything," said George Sarelakos.