Invasive pufferfish spread in Mediterranean

In early July 2026 researchers reported repeated sightings of the invasive lionfish in Montenegro’s Bay of Kotor and highlighted the presence of the toxic silver‑cheeked pufferfish (Lagocephalus sceleratus) in the Aegean Sea. Authorities in Greece, Turkey and Cyprus introduced bounties and EU‑funded removal programs to curb the fish, which threatens fisheries, damages nets and can cause severe poisoning. Two weeks later, monitoring showed the pufferfish had established dense populations throughout the Eastern Mediterranean, from Crete and the Cyclades to Turkey’s and Cyprus’ coasts, with additional reports from Spain, Italy and Israel. Health agencies issued warnings after sting incidents, and scientists linked the rapid expansion to climate change and the Suez Canal opening, underscoring the need for heightened public awareness and coordinated control measures. On 26 July 2026 a fisherman near Heraklion, Crete, captured a 50‑centimetre specimen of Lagocephalus sceleratus. The fish, a Red‑Sea native that entered the Mediterranean via the Suez Canal, carries lethal tetrodotoxin in its liver, ovaries and skin, and is prohibited for sale or consumption under EU law. Its powerful jaws can damage fishing gear and it poses additional ecological and economic risks to local fisheries and marine ecosystems, prompting renewed concern among scientists and the fishing community. By 29 July 2026 marine scientists warned that warming Mediterranean waters are accelerating the pufferfish’s spread, now reaching the coasts of Greece, Italy, France, Spain and Cyprus. Researchers noted that projected temperature rises of 1.8‑3.5 °C by 2100 could render the sea permanently unsuitable for many native species. In the eastern basin, up to 93 % of mollusk populations have disappeared, and invasive species such as the pufferfish and rabbit fish are outcompeting traditional catches, threatening coastal fishing livelihoods.