Greek scientists have launched an attempt to record the numbers of alien species of fish from the Red Sea that have “invaded” the Aegean, especially in the north, and to assess their impact on the environment – as well as on humans, given that some are toxic and dangerous, according to ANA.
Ichthyologist Sotiris Kyparissis of the Fisheries Research Institute (FRI) informed the Athens-Macedonian News Agency that more than 280 alien species from the Red Sea have appeared in the Mediterranean, due to a widening of the Suez Canal, warmer seas and other factors.
One of the most dangerous to reach the Aegean is Lagocephalus sceleratus, or toadfish, whose body contains a deadly neurotoxin that can kill, as well as species of poisonous stonefish or the spiny Lionfish, whose spines contain a protein-based toxin destroyed by cooking. This means that, unlike toadfish, lionfish can be eaten by humans.
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