SOA Greece takes action for the Mediterranean: Youth, science, and solutions for invasive species – ProtoThema English

Across Greece’s coasts and classrooms, a new generation is mobilizing to protect the Mediterranean. Sustainable Ocean Alliance (SOA) Greece, launched in 2024, is translating global momentum into local action by uniting education, science, and community-led solutions. As part of a worldwide network active in 115 countries, SOA supports youth-driven innovation at scale—fueling dozens of purpose-led startups and hundreds of nonprofit projects that target real-world ocean challenges.

In Greece, a core team of emerging leaders—Electra Delavogia, Katerina Kokkinaki, Dimitris Vasileiou, and Eleni Tsirikou—has set out to bridge cutting-edge knowledge with practical interventions. Their mission: empower coastal communities, inspire students, and accelerate responses to environmental threats in the Mediterranean, with a special focus on invasive marine species that disrupt ecosystems, strain fisheries, and alter local economies.

From curiosity to stewardship: the classroom spark

SOA Greece’s early efforts have centered on youth engagement. At Moraitis School in Athens, one of the country’s largest private schools, the team led an interactive session titled “An Ocean of Opportunity” during a day devoted to volunteering, society, and the economy. Through dialogue, visuals, and storytelling, students explored how the Blue Economy can align environmental responsibility with viable careers and entrepreneurship—seeing the sea not just as a place to protect, but as a space to innovate.

This approach places agency squarely in young people’s hands: linking ocean literacy with pathways to action, and turning awareness into projects that serve both nature and society.

Why invasive species matter now

Warming waters, shifting currents, and global shipping are opening doors for species that did not historically inhabit the Mediterranean. Some of these newcomers rapidly expand, outcompeting native life, damaging habitats like seagrass meadows and reefs, and pressuring already vulnerable fish stocks. SOA Greece has prioritized public awareness and science communication on this issue, connecting ecological data to the daily realities of fishers, consumers, and coastal residents.

Through media engagement and community outreach, the team highlights both the risks and the opportunities for response—from monitoring and early detection to targeted removals and informed seafood choices that can help reduce pressure from invasive populations.

Fieldwork in Attica: learning from the seabed

Turning theory into practice, SOA Greece organized an on-site initiative in the Attica Region focused on the lionfish, a fast-spreading invader in parts of the Mediterranean. Partnering with Divers Corner in Palaia Fokaia, the team met with experienced divers Filippos Capuano and Marios Papavasileiou to examine firsthand the species’ behavior, ecological footprint, and implications for local biodiversity.

Participants observed lionfish up close and discussed how targeted, sustainable fishing can help limit their expansion. The initiative underscored an important message: community action—rooted in science and safety—can complement policy and conservation frameworks to protect coastal ecosystems.

A short documentary capturing these activities is in production. The video will spotlight responsible lionfish harvesting, environmental education in the field, and practical solutions that begin at the community level and extend to market-based responses.

Where culture, policy, and science meet

SOA Greece has also stepped into convenings that blend public engagement with policy dialogue. The team took part in the first Greek screening of “Ocean” by David Attenborough, contributing to discussions on climate change, sustainable fisheries, Marine Protected Areas, and the broader Revive Our Ocean Greece initiative. The event drew scientists, NGOs, policymakers, and advocates, reflecting a growing societal commitment to ocean stewardship at national scale.

Further south, the team participated in the Elafonissos Eco Event — Lionfish in the Mediterranean II, a three-day gathering that brought together fishers, business leaders, environmental law experts, scientists, and academics. The conversations revolved around concrete solutions to invasive species: developing supportive policy frameworks, advancing sustainable fishing practices, and exploring market mechanisms that can turn a pressing ecological challenge into a catalyst for innovation and local livelihoods.

A first year that builds bridges

In just its inaugural year, SOA Greece has established itself as a connector: linking students with scientists, divers with decision-makers, and coastal communities with practical tools for resilience. By combining education, on-the-water experience, public engagement, and cultural presence, the team is helping to shape a more informed and proactive response to the Mediterranean’s most urgent marine challenges.

The work ahead is clear: protect biodiversity, support sustainable fisheries, and cultivate a generation ready to lead. With youth at the helm and science as the compass, SOA Greece is charting a course toward a healthier, more resilient sea—one classroom, one community, and one coastline at a time.