The Paxos Lionfish Project
Controlling the invasion
The lionfish (Pterois miles) is an attractive, invasive fish (not native to the Mediterranean) which threatens the biodiversity of our sea. It has no significant predators, reproduces at a fast rate and has a voracious appetite. If we don’t take steps to control it now, it could cause serious harm to our underwater environment, the animals that live there and our local fishing economy.
Have you seen a lionfish around Paxos or Antipaxos?
Click here to record your sighting
OUR MISSON:
Monitor
Where are the lionfish and how many are there?
- Report sightings on our map.
- Locate lionfish hotspots.
- Help fishers know where to look.
- Understand how quickly the population is expanding.
Sea to Plate
Get lionfish on the menu.
- Introduce lionfish to restaurants.
- Generate demand among customers and consequently restaurants
- Encourage fishers to catch lionfish.
Educate
Inform the local community about lionfish and their consequences.
- Through social media.
- Local media.
- Local events.
HOW IT BEGAN:
Μy name is Sarah. I am originally from the UK, but now live full time in Paxos. I am fortunate to be able to spend a good deal of time swimming and diving in the amazing clear water around the island.
In 2020 I saw my first lionfish in Paxos while scuba diving. Every year since then, the numbers of lionfish around the island have increased.
In 2024, I created the Paxos lionfish map to identify those areas where the majority of lionfish could be found. I spoke to restaurants about getting them on the menu, because they are tasty! Apart from a little extra care required in their preparation, the main difficulty seemed to be encouraging fishermen to catch them.
In order to generate more interest in eating lionfish, I decided that I would have to catch them myself. I bought my first speargun and hunted my first fish. As I am not a fishermen, I cannot sell my catch, so I will be giving it away. If you have a restaurant or taverna on Paxos and are interested in getting lionfish on the menu, please contact me! To get you started, I will even remove the venomous spines.