Greece to Launch €1.5m Pufferfish Pilot Program in Crete

A €1.5 million pufferfish pilot program to limit the silver-cheeked toadfish population in Crete and the South Aegean should start in early 2027, Greece’s Rural Development Ministry said on Monday.

Deputy Rural Development and Food Minister Thanassis Kavvadas discussed the pufferfish pilot program on Monday. He met representatives of coastal fishers from several Greek regions at the ministry.

The toadfish, also called gotronus, has affected the population of local fish species, the ministry said. Kavvadas has already signed the joint ministerial decision for the pufferfish pilot program.

However, a program agreement and the remaining administrative steps are still pending, officials said.

Read more: British Tourist Rushed to Hospital After Suspected Pufferfish Bite

Next steps for the pilot program

After Crete and the South Aegean, the pufferfish pilot program may expand to other regions, such as the Peloponnese, officials said.

Lagocephalus sceleratus comes from the Indo-West Pacific and reached the Mediterranean through the Suez Canal, according to FishBase data. It also carries tetrodotoxin, a poison that can cause food poisoning.

Earlier, Greek City Times reported that the toxic fish is spreading across the Aegean and Ionian seas, damaging fishing gear. In March, an eight-kilogram catch off Heraklion alarmed local fishermen.

Compensation and boat upgrades

The Ministry of Rural Development and Food is also setting up a new process to compensate fishers. It covers damage to fishing gear by protected marine animals.

According to data presented at the meeting, nearly €41 million went to 9,500 professional fishers in 2024–2025. The payments covered damage from 2022–2024.

Officials are examining loans for professional fishers to help them invest in the sector, the ministry said.

The meeting also covered a €16 million program to upgrade fishing boats. Fishers lodged 339 applications by the 30 October deadline.

The talks also covered fuel costs, especially for smaller boats, and the protection of professional fishers from amateurs.

Coastal fishers’ representatives welcomed the government’s response to the sector’s issues, the ministry said.

Kavvadas said the ministry’s basic priorities remained fishers’ incomes, sustainable coastal fishing and the use of available funding tools.

Source: AMNA

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