LIONFISH INVASION
The lionfish (Pterois miles), the species targeted in this project, has been reported in multiple regions of the Mediterranean Sea, especially after 2012.
REMOVAL ACTION TEAMS
The RELIONMED project team has assembled a lionfish removal response mechanism (Removal Action Teams - RATs) formed by more than 100 motivated diver volunteers.
PROJECT SITES
- Natura 2000 sites, Cape Greco (CY3000005) and Nisia (CY3000006).
- MPA’s with wrecks and artificial reefs (i.e. Nemesis III, Liberty, Kyrenia – Ayia Napa and Zenobia).
NEWS
click for moreEVENTS
- MO
- TU
- WE
- TH
- FR
- SA
- SU
- 29
- 30
- 31
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11
- 12
- 13
- 14
- 15
- 16
- 17
- 18
- 19
- 20
- 21
- 22
- 23
- 24
- 25
- 26
- 27
- 28
- 29
- 30
- 1
- 2
Events for June
1
No Events
Events for June
2
No Events
Events for June
3
No Events
Events for June
4
No Events
Events for June
5
No Events
Events for June
6
No Events
Events for June
7
No Events
Events for June
8
No Events
Events for June
9
No Events
Events for June
10
No Events
Events for June
11
No Events
Events for June
12
No Events
Events for June
13
No Events
Events for June
14
No Events
Events for June
15
No Events
Events for June
16
No Events
Events for June
17
No Events
Events for June
18
No Events
Events for June
19
No Events
Events for June
20
No Events
Events for June
21
No Events
Events for June
22
No Events
Events for June
23
No Events
Events for June
24
No Events
Events for June
25
No Events
Events for June
26
No Events
Events for June
27
No Events
Events for June
28
No Events
Events for June
29
No Events
Events for June
30
No Events
VIDEOS
-
MER’s and UoP’s final lionfish removal with RATs
On the 28th of November 2021, the Marine and Environmental Research (MER) Lab and the University of Plymouth implemented their final coordinated lionfish removal with the Removal Action Teams (RATs) of the RELIONMED-Life project. The expedition took place at the Bahames site in Akrotiri, Limassol, with the participation of nine RATs divers from the Nautilus dive club in Limassol. A total of 119 lionfish of various sizes were caught and many were missed. Furthermore, it is important to note that the area was fully infested and many lionfish were not removed, also, due to the limited space in the zookeepers. The project greatly thanks the RATs for their support throughout the project and for playing an important role in trying to control the lionfish populations in Cyprus marine waters. -
CyBC’s reportage on RELIONMED-Life’s final lionfish removal derby
The RELIONMED-Life 8th and final lionfish removal derby was held on the 7th of November 2021, at the Cape Greco area in the Famagusta district. The 30 divers of the “Removal Action Teams (RATs)”, whom RELIONMED-Life greatly thanks for their support, removed a total of 102 lionfish in a dive that lasted an hour, mostly at the Cyclop’s cave diving site. The scenes of the video have been derived from the CyBC - @Cyprus_Broadcasting_Corporation (RIK) reportage that was broadcasted on the same day by the TV channel on their Main Bulletin (at 8 p.m.). We thank the CyBC, as well as the journalist Mrs. Despina Pourekkou and the cameraman Mr. Panayiotis Yiangou, for covering the event. -
RELIONMED-Life: Use of MedMIS application for mobile phones and reporting lionfish sightings
This video has been created through the RELIONMED-Life project to explain how citizens active at sea can report lionfish sightings in the Mediterranean using the “IUCN MedMIS” platform. Information on the species can be found in the “Lionfish Portal” found within “MedMIS”. The platform is free to use and it is offered in four different languages. Visit the “IUCN MedMIS” via the website http://www.iucn-medmis.org/ or download the smartphone application and send your own reports to help monitor the lionfish invasion in the area.







"The RELIONMED-LIFE project has received funding from the LIFE Programme of the European Union."