Pufferfish fishing contest breaks records with TV prizes

Fishermen across Greece are participating in the "1st Panhellenic Open Pufferfish Fishing Competition" to combat the invasive species' spread. The initiative, started by amateur fisherman Michalis Karpodinis, offers prizes like fishing rods and televisions to encourage participation.

“

Over the past 4-5 years, the situation has been tragic. It has gradually increased and has reached a point where there are no longer octopuses or squid on the seabed. It eats shellfish, almost everything. Any small fish it finds, it eats the fry, it eats bigger fish, it's a very greedy fish.

Karpodinis described the situation as "tragic" over the past four to five years, noting the pufferfish has decimated octopus, squid, and other small fish populations. "It eats shellfish, almost everything. Any small fish it finds, it eats the fry, it eats bigger fish, it's a very greedy fish," he explained.

“

Very, very much, even from areas where I didn't expect to find pufferfish.

The competition also serves as an informal mapping effort. "We are preparing a platform for this where data will be entered. It's an informal mapping to see how far the problem has reached," Karpodinis said. He believes the government has been too slow to act and that current measures, focusing on only two regions for professional fishermen, are insufficient.

“

We are preparing a platform for this where data will be entered. It's an informal mapping to see how far the problem has reached.

"We are trying to highlight the problem because we can't do more. We are amateurs, and we won't stop it by fishing every day, nor can the professionals stop it," Karpodinis stated. "What they can do, however, is curb their expansion and multiplication until their natural enemies are found."

“

It has been too slow, and I think the way it's being done again is not correct. Two regions will be funded for professional fishermen, while it could be done all over Greece so that other parts of Greece do not face the same problem that exists in Rhodes, the Dodecanese, and Crete.