Merman Conservation Expeditions Ltd is pleased to announce that NATIV Pelion is moving forward into the next phase of its work in South East Pelion, Greece, progressing from mapping and documentation toward targeted management, control and, where feasible, elimination of invasive alien species.

NATIV Pelion was developed as a living marine registry for the coastal waters of South East Pelion, combining field observations, citizen reports and biodiversity records with action planning and measurable conservation objectives. The project places particular emphasis on protecting native species and sensitive marine habitats.

From recording species to taking action.

Understanding where an invasive alien species occurs is only the first stage of effective management.

The next phase of NATIV Pelion will increasingly connect mapping, monitoring and field observations with practical conservation action. Depending on the ecology, distribution and establishment of each species, management may include:

• rapid eradication of newly detected and highly localised populations;
• rapid suppression and continued monitoring where immediate eradication may not be achievable;
• containment and measures to slow further spread;
• long-term management of well-established populations; and
• continued monitoring where intervention is not currently appropriate.

This tiered approach is already incorporated into the NATIV Pelion framework. For species that have become widespread, complete disappearance is not necessarily a realistic objective. In these cases, the project focuses on reducing local pressure, protecting sensitive habitats and limiting further expansion into areas that remain comparatively unaffected.

A focus on South East Pelion.

NATIV Pelion is geographically focused on the marine and coastal environment of South East Pelion, where the meeting of rocky reefs, seagrass habitats, shallow coastal waters and diverse marine communities creates both significant biodiversity value and opportunities for early detection of ecological change.

The project brings together information originating from field surveys, iNaturalist records and citizen observations, creating a continually developing picture of alien species occurrence in the region.

The objective is not simply to produce a list of species. It is to understand where they occur, whether they are spreading, which habitats may be most exposed and where intervention can realistically make a difference.

Protecting native biodiversity.

The ultimate purpose of invasive alien species management is the protection of native ecosystems.

Species such as Sparisoma cretense, together with the wider native fish, invertebrate, algal and seagrass communities of the region, represent the biodiversity that NATIV Pelion seeks to safeguard. Their presence in project communications represents the native marine ecosystem being protected, not species targeted for removal.

Management decisions therefore need to remain selective and evidence-based. Removal should never simply mean removing unfamiliar organisms. Correct species identification, ecological context and an appropriate management objective must come first.

Measuring whether conservation actions work.

A conservation intervention is useful only if its results can be evaluated.

NATIV Pelion therefore incorporates measurable indicators including the number of alien species recorded, detection of new locations, changes in coverage or abundance, kilometres of coastline surveyed, response time between a report and an intervention, and the contribution of citizen observations.

These indicators will become increasingly important as the project transitions from documentation toward active management.

The next step.

This next phase represents an important development for NATIV Pelion.

The project is moving toward a model in which:

• Mapping identifies the problem.
• Monitoring shows how it changes.
• Targeted action responds where intervention is justified.
• Continued assessment determines whether that action worked.

The objective is not indiscriminate removal. It is targeted, scientifically informed management of invasive alien species while protecting native biodiversity and sensitive coastal habitats.

NATIV Pelion will continue to develop its species database, field monitoring, action records and management framework as new information becomes available.

Mapping. Monitoring. Action. Native biodiversity protection.

On September 11, 2026, marine biodiversity observations were recorded along the coast of Mourtias and Ammitsa in South-east Pelion, Greece.

The observations focused primarily on shallow coastal habitats and included several fish species, a crustacean, and a coastal seabird. Most records were made around Mourtias, with additional observations from the neighbouring coast of Ammitsa.

The records provide another snapshot of the marine biodiversity occurring along this section of the South-east Pelion coastline and contribute to the continuing documentation of species associated with its rocky, mixed and shallow-water habitats.

Fish

• Belone belone (Garfish)
• Seriola dumerili (Greater Amberjack)
• Sarpa salpa (Salema Porgy)
• Boops boops (Bogue)
• Mullus surmuletus (Striped Red Mullet)
• Oedalechilus sp. (Boxlip Mullet)
• Muraena helena (Mediterranean Moray)
• Atherina boyeri (Big-scale Sand Smelt)

Several of these observations were documented at Mourtias during the middle of the day. Seriola dumerili, Sarpa salpa, Boops boops, Mullus surmuletus and Oedalechilus sp. were among the fishes recorded there.

Garfish belonging to the genus Belone were also observed at Mourtias, together with Atherina boyeri (Big-scale Sand Smelt).

At Ammitsa, Muraena helena (Mediterranean Moray) was documented in the coastal habitat.

Crustaceans

• Palaemon elegans (Rockpool Prawn)

Palaemon elegans was recorded at Mourtias, adding a small coastal crustacean to the day's biodiversity observations.

Birds

• Gulosus aristotelis desmarestii (Mediterranean Shag)

A Mediterranean Shag was also documented at Ammitsa. Coastal seabirds form an important part of the wider marine ecosystem and can be recorded alongside underwater and shoreline biodiversity observations.

Continuing biodiversity monitoring in South-east Pelion.

Although a single day of observations cannot provide a complete representation of the local marine community, repeated records from the same coastline can gradually build a clearer picture of which species occur in the area and how observations change through different seasons.

Combining direct coastal observations, underwater surveys, photography and opportunistic wildlife records allows marine biodiversity to be documented across several habitat types and taxonomic groups.
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These observations from Mourtias and Ammitsa therefore contribute to the continuing documentation of marine and coastal wildlife in South-east Pelion, complementing previous biodiversity surveys carried out throughout the area.

​On September 7, 2026, marine biodiversity observations were carried out at Katigiorgis in South-east Pelion, Greece.

The survey documented a variety of organisms from the shallow coastal environment, including several fish species as well as echinoderms, sponges, molluscs and hydrozoans.

The observations provide another snapshot of the biodiversity associated with the coastal habitats around Katigiorgis and contribute to the continuing documentation of marine species in South-east Pelion.

Fish

• Gobius incognitus (Incognito Goby)
• Sarpa salpa (Salema Porgy)
• Lithognathus mormyrus (Striped Seabream)
• Trachinotus ovatus (Pompano)
• Mugilidae (Mullets)
• Atherina boyeri (Big-scale Sand Smelt)
• Diplodus sargus (White Sea Bream)
• Mullus surmuletus (Striped Red Mullet)
• Tripterygion tripteronotum (Red-black Triplefin)
• Chromis chromis (Mediterranean Damselfish)
• Serranus scriba (Painted Comber)
• Diplodus vulgaris (Common Two-banded Seabream)

Echinoderms

• Stylocidaris affinis (Red Lance Urchin)
• Holothuria sp. (Sea Cucumber)

Sponges

• Axinella sp.
• Chondrilla sp.
• Sarcotragus spinosulus (Black Leather Sponge)

Molluscs

• Rapaninae (Rapanine Whelks)

Hydrozoans

• Hydrozoa

​Repeated biodiversity observations at Katigiorgis and elsewhere in South-east Pelion can help build a growing record of species presence across different habitats and seasons and complement the wider marine biodiversity monitoring being carried out in the region.

​On September 6, 2026, marine biodiversity observations were carried out at Mikros Mourtias in South-east Pelion, Greece.

The observations documented a small but characteristic group of coastal fish species associated with shallow inshore habitats. These records contribute to the continuing documentation of marine biodiversity in the area and add to the growing picture of species presence along the South-east Pelion coastline.

Fish

• Gobius cobitis (Giant Goby)
• Thalassoma pavo (Ornate Wrasse)
• Parablennius sanguinolentus (Rusty Blenny)
• Symphodus tinca (East Atlantic Peacock Wrasse)
• Mugilidae (Mullets)
• Coris julis (Mediterranean Rainbow Wrasse)

These fishes are common in many coastal areas and form a familiar component of shallow marine communities in Greece.

Continuing biodiversity monitoring at Mikros Mourtias.

Although the number of species recorded during a single visit is limited, repeated observations from sites such as Mikros Mourtias are valuable for building a clearer understanding of local biodiversity.

Even short coastal surveys can document representative species from different ecological groups, including bottom-dwelling fishes, wrasses and schooling coastal species. Over time, such records help strengthen the biodiversity baseline for South-east Pelion and complement wider efforts to monitor marine life across the region.
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These observations from Mikros Mourtias therefore contribute another useful record of shallow-water marine biodiversity from the South-east Pelion coastline.