The new protected areas, located in the Ionian Sea and the Southern Cyclades in the Aegean would be among the largest marine protected areas in the entire Mediterranean. 

A key part of the plan includes phasing out the destructive practice of bottom trawling. By 2030, the method (which involves dragging heavy nets across the seabed, damaging marine habitats) will be banned across all of Greece’s marine protected areas. This makes Greece the first European country to take such a comprehensive step.  

“At last month’s UN Oceans Conference, I made a promise to honour our unique marine heritage and to protect it for generations to come,” Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said in a video message. 

Mitsotakis added that the government will collaborate with local communities, scientists, fishers, and international partners to ensure the parks become “examples of what is possible”.  

The scale of the reserves will also help Greece meet a broader conservation goal of protecting 30 per cent of its territorial waters by the end of the decade. 

Mitsotakis said the decision was partly inspired by the National Geographic film Ocean, a new documentary narrated by Sir David Attenborough which showcases the vibrant yet vulnerable ecosystems beneath the waves. 

“The sea is not just beautiful scenery,” he said.  

“It is life itself. Delicate. Powerful. And under threat.” 

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