With rising sea temperatures in the Mediterranean, invasive fish species migrating from the Red Sea have become permanently established in the region, an expert has said.
The Agriculture and Forestry Ministry is compensating fishermen for catching these invasive species, specifically blowfish, as part of a mitigation effort.
“Blowfish have now become a fish of the Mediterranean. They have settled into a stable population. They have started to take their place within the food chain,” said Prof. Dr. Mehmet Gökoğlu, a faculty member at Akdeniz University’s Aquaculture Faculty.
“From this point onward, their disappearance is no longer possible. Once a species enters a new habitat and begins to reproduce there, it means it has successfully established itself,” he said.
The expert noted that the increasing presence of large numbers along the coasts, the observation of egg-bearing individuals, and the capture of mature specimens all indicate that these species are now multiplying in the Mediterranean.
“The Mediterranean has effectively become a secondary habitat for them,” he added.
Blowfish are highly toxic, with potent poisons secreted in their skin and liver that can be lethal to humans and predatory animals. Gökoğlu emphasized that invasive species are increasingly displacing native marine life.
