The Greek government has set compensation at 5.33 euros per kilogram for professional fishermen catching the invasive and highly toxic silver-cheeked toadfish, launching a pilot scheme intended to curb the rapidly expanding population while helping offset mounting losses suffered by coastal fishing communities.
The measure, announced by the Ministry of Rural Development and Food, will initially apply in the regions of Crete and the South Aegean, where marine scientists have identified the highest concentrations of the invasive species.
On Sunday, the secretary general for rural development and food, Spyros Protopsaltis, said the fish has become a major problem for professional fishermen by damaging nets and longlines and consuming commercially valuable fish stocks. In some fishing grounds, he said, fishermen increasingly find little other than silver-cheeked toadfish in their catches.
He said the compensation program forms part of a broader package of seven support measures for the fishing sector and stressed that the species is now considered permanently established in Greek waters.
“The silver-cheeked toadfish is here to stay,” Protopsaltis said, noting that because the fish contains a powerful toxin, its handling and disposal must follow strict procedures.
The pilot program reflects a broader government strategy announced this month to address the ecological and economic impact of the invasive species, which entered the eastern Mediterranean through the Suez Canal and has expanded steadily westward as sea temperatures have risen.
Fishing organizations welcomed the announcement but urged authorities to implement the measures without delay, saying the species has already caused substantial economic damage.
Spyros Filopoulos, fisheries officer with the Nireas Kalamata recreational fishing association, said two species of silver-cheeked toadfish have been recorded over the past three to four years in the Kyparissia Gulf and off the Mani Peninsula in extreme southern Peloponnese.
He warned that their population is continuing to increase because they have virtually no natural predators in the Mediterranean and predicted further expansion in the coming years.
Yiannis Androulakis, president of the Heraklion Fishermen’s Association, said the ministry had reacted slowly but welcomed the decision to begin implementing measures aimed at reducing the population.
The initiative follows growing concern over the rapid spread of the silver-cheeked toadfish across Greek waters, particularly around Crete and the southeastern Aegean. Authorities and marine scientists have warned that the species poses a dual threat by damaging fishing gear and marine ecosystems while presenting a public health risk because its flesh contains tetrodotoxin, a potent neurotoxin that remains dangerous even after cooking.
Earlier this month, the government unveiled a package of measures, including the bounty program, as part of a broader effort to limit the species’ environmental and economic impact.
