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Greece Pays Fishermen to Catch Invasive Toxic Toadfish
@ABC reported that Greece began offering cash payments on June 26, 2026, for catches of silver-cheeked toadfish. The program targets an invasive species damaging nets off Crete and other islands. Similar efforts began earlier in Cyprus.
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Greece began paying fishermen 5.33 euros per kilogram to catch silver-cheeked toadfish on June 26, 2026. The payment equals about $2.75 per pound. @ABC reported that the torpedo-shaped fish, a member of the puffer fish family, carries a neurotoxin in its skin and organs that can cause heart failure if consumed.
The species normally lives in tropical waters and is believed to have entered the Mediterranean through the Suez Canal, drawn by rising sea temperatures. The fish have damaged nets and eaten catch off Crete and several other Greek islands in recent weeks. Giorgos Kyriakakis of a Cretan fishermen’s association said fishermen might spend three days repairing nets after one day at sea.
Agriculture Minister Margaritis Schinas said the program is the first of its kind in Greece. Caught fish will be frozen and incinerated at local facilities, and the measure is expected to expand to all Greek waters. Cyprus introduced a comparable program earlier in 2026.
The Greek Red Cross issued a public health warning that includes first-aid steps for bites and notes the risk from the neurotoxin.
