35 European Environmental Organizations Demand ‘Clean, healthy and abundant seas by 2020’ from the European Council of Environment Ministers, today the 20th of December 2018 in Brussels.

Clean, healthy and abundant seas by 2020. This is what European countries are committed to achieve when they adopted the Marine Strategy Framework Directive in 2008. This is what over 180,000 Europeans are asking you to deliver.  With little more than a year until the deadline, all countries of the European Union, including Greece,  are failing

Archipelagos Institute in Rome at the meeting of the EU Mediterranean Advisory Council for Fisheries (MEDAC)

The meeting of the EU Mediterranean Advisory Council for Fisheries (MEDAC) took place this week in Rome. Archipelagos Institute for Marine Conservation, as a member of the Advisory Council is one of only four environmental organisations in the Mediterranean that have the right to vote. The purpose of the meeting was to formulate proposals and

The Research Boat “Naftilos”

Until a few years ago “Naftilos” was a decommissioned sailboat which was largely damaged. Today, after its reconstruction by Archipelagos Institute, it has become a valuable means for marine mammals research in the Mediterranean. “Naftilos” is not an ordinary sailing boat. It was built in Belgium 40 years ago as a “one-off” construction with special

joint Educational Oceanographic Research Course between the University of Essex, University of Cardiff and Archipelagos Institute of Marine Conservation

The joint Educational Oceanographic Research Course between the University of Essex, the University of Cardiff and Archipelagos Institute of Marine Conservation was successfully completed in two consecutive periods during September 2018, in the marine region between Samos, Fourni and Ikaria. The multi-diciplinary research that was conducted included: –  the use of cartographic vessel “Okeanos” and

Archipelagos’ participation at the 6th Mediterranean Conference on Marine Turtles in Porec, Croatia

The 6th Mediterranean Conference on Marine Turtles, which took place last week in Porec Croatia, brought about many exciting outcomes for the conservation of these charismatic animals. The research of Archipelagos Institute that was presented in the Conference showed evidence of key foraging and nesting areas in the Aegean islands for both the Loggerhead Turtle

Archipelagos’ research boats ‘’Naftilos’’ and ‘’Okeanos’’ working in cooperation with The Regional Activity Centre for Specially Protected Areas of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP/MAP – SPA/RAC)

Making best use of the calm seas of the autumn, we are trying to cover as much as possible the large knowledge gaps in relation to life in our seas and the factors of threat. The boat Naftilos with Archipelagos’ Marine Mammal Research Team, have been surveying the waters between Ikaria and Chios island and

The Noble Pen Shell (Pinna nobilis): Another marine species close to extinction

In recent months a new major threat has appeared across Greek seas and is threatening another protected marine species – the Noble Pen Shell Pinna nobilis: the largest bivalve in the Mediterranean, reaching 1.2 meters in length. In addition to the numerous human-induced threats facing the P.nobilis (such as illegal fishing and habitat destruction), a

An occasional sighting in the Aegean that only a few of us witness – A mother sperm whale nursing her calf

A mother sperm whale is nursing her calf between the eastern Aegean islands of Ikaria and Mykonos. Milk can be seen floating on the surface, which is a rare sighting. This image was captured from the microlight airplane of Wings for Science during a joint expedition with Archipelagos Institute. We are surrounded by seas which

World Animal Day – 4th of October

The world animal day constitutes an opportunity to remind ourselves that the care and protection of wildlife is a responsibility we all share, not occasionally but every single day!  Our own survival depends on the survival of all the animals we share this planet with. Respect towards them is an obligation not an option.

A tender moment on a small Aegean islet

The researchers of Archipelagos Institute are in cooperation with the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU) for monitoring the Eleonora’s falcon populations on small eastern Aegean islets since 2014 using modern audiovisual equipment. The head of the research group is Dr. Ronny Steen from NMBU, who is an expert in monitoring wildlife behavior through digital