Concern is growing among tourism and restaurant businesses in Politika, on the Greek island of Evia, as the continued presence of jellyfish and stinging sea creatures in the Euboean Gulf affects visitor numbers and causes significant losses for local businesses.
Despite floating protective barriers installed in the area, beach attendance remains limited. Purple jellyfish continue to be reported along a large section of the coastline, from Politika to Dafni.
Limited protection along the beaches
Measures to create protected swimming areas in parts of the Euboean and Maliakos gulfs have been in place since early June 2026.
In Politika, special floating barriers shaped like the letter “P” were installed in front of beachfront businesses to prevent jellyfish from entering areas where visitors swim.
However, the barriers do not cover the entire beach. Residents and business owners say the protective structures have been installed at only two main locations, along with another point before the entrance to the beachfront.
As a result, significant sections of the coastline remain unprotected, which appears to be affecting some swimmers’ decisions to visit the area.
Katerina Alexandraki, who owns a restaurant on Politika beach, described the situation and said the protective nets were installed in early June. By then, however, concerns about the jellyfish had already affected visitors’ perceptions of the area.
She said the situation was different from last year because many visitors had already planned and paid for their vacations or accommodation in the area the previous year.
The presence of the jellyfish also varies from day to day. There are days when the phenomenon is particularly intense and others when no jellyfish appear at all.
Local businesses hope the situation will gradually improve. Alexandraki said she hopes the jellyfish will disappear from the area in the coming years, as she believes may happen over time.
Barriers limit the problem but cannot eliminate it
The floating barriers can significantly reduce the presence of jellyfish inside protected swimming areas, but they do not provide a solution that eliminates the phenomenon altogether.
For businesses in Politika, the priority remains bringing swimmers back to the beaches and restoring tourism activity, as another summer season is being affected by the continued presence of jellyfish in the Euboean Gulf.
