Greek Shark Logbook: What the First Half of 2026 Shows About Shark Sightings in Greece

The first half of 2026 has already been an important period for the Greek Shark Logbook, with 40 shark observations recorded from 1 January to 30 June 2026.

These records do not show something “new” or unnatural happening in Greek waters. Sharks have always been part of the marine biodiversity of Greece and the wider Mediterranean. What is changing is that more people are now recording, photographing, and reporting them.
This is exactly why the Greek Shark Logbook exists: to collect verified observations, organise them in a structured database, and help the public, researchers, media and authorities better understand shark presence in Greece.

40 observations in six months.

From January to June 2026, the Greek Shark Logbook recorded observations from several parts of Greece, including the Ionian Sea, the Corinthian Gulf, the Saronic Gulf, the Aegean Sea, Crete, the Pagasetic Gulf, the Dodecanese, and northern Greece.

The records included nine shark species:

• Prionace glauca (Blue shark)
• Isurus oxyrinchus (Shortfin mako)
• Mustelus mustelus (Common smooth-hound)
• Hexanchus griseus (Bluntnose sixgill shark)
• Galeorhinus galeus (Tope shark)
• Carcharhinus plumbeus (Sandbar shark)
• Carcharodon carcharias (Great white shark)
• Scyliorhinus stellaris (Nursehound)
• Squalus blainville (Longnose spurdog)

The most frequently recorded species during this period was the blue shark, with 17 observations. This is not surprising, as blue sharks are naturally present in Greek waters and are often seen seasonally, especially when individuals approach coastal areas.

The second most recorded species was the shortfin mako, with 9 observations. Other records included smooth-hounds, sixgill sharks, tope sharks, and single observations of rarer or less frequently reported species.

More records do not automatically mean more sharks.

One of the most important messages from the 2026 data is this:
More observations do not necessarily mean that there are suddenly more sharks in Greece.

It often means that more people are noticing them, filming them, sharing them online, and reporting them to citizen science projects.

In the last few years, smartphones, social media, action cameras, fishing groups, and local news pages have made wildlife observations much more visible. A shark that may have gone unnoticed or undocumented 20 years ago can now be photographed, uploaded, and discussed within minutes.

This visibility is useful, but it can also create unnecessary fear when sightings are presented without context.

The Greek Shark Logbook helps separate observation from exaggeration. It allows records to be checked, organised and mapped rather than lost in social media posts, rumours or sensational headlines.

Fishermen are becoming more involved.

A very positive development is the increasing participation of fishermen.

Fishermen are often the first people to encounter sharks at sea. Their contribution is extremely valuable because they can provide practical information that is often missing from public posts, such as location, date, depth, fishing method, approximate size, condition of the animal, and whether it was released.

In the 2026 dataset so far, 20 out of 40 observations were linked to fishing activity. This shows how important the fishing community is becoming for shark monitoring in Greece.

This also follows a wider trend already seen in the Greek Shark Logbook: fishermen’s participation has been increasing over time, from 5.9% of records in 2024 to 15.8% in 2025 and around 20.7% so far in 2026.

This is a major step forward. When fishermen participate directly, the data become stronger, more accurate, and more useful for conservation.

Why does this matter?

Sharks are often discussed only through fear, attacks, or sensational media stories. In reality, they are part of the natural marine ecosystem, and many species are threatened or vulnerable because of fishing pressure, bycatch, habitat degradation, and slow reproduction.

For Greece, better shark data are important because they can help us understand:

• where different species are being observed,
• which species are appearing more often in public records,
• which areas produce repeated observations,
• how often sharks are caught, stranded or seen swimming near the coast,
• and how citizen science can support long-term biodiversity monitoring.

The Greek Shark Logbook is not only a sightings map. It is a growing evidence base.

From fear to knowledge.

Every shark observation should be treated carefully, but not with panic.
Seeing a shark in Greek waters does not mean that the sea is unsafe. It means that Greece still has important marine wildlife, including species that have existed in the Mediterranean long before modern tourism, social media, or news headlines.

The real challenge is not to create fear. The challenge is to collect better information.

For every observation, the most useful details are:

1. date,
2. location,
3. photo or video,
4. species if known,
5. estimated size,
6. condition of the animal,
7. and how it was observed.

These details help transform a simple sighting into useful biodiversity data.

A stronger network for Greek shark records.

The first half of 2026 shows that the Greek Shark Logbook is growing. More observations are being collected, more areas are being represented, and more fishermen are participating.
This is important for science, conservation, and public education.

Sharks in Greece should not be treated as monsters, rumours or clickbait. They should be recorded, studied and understood as part of the country’s marine biodiversity.

The message from the first half of 2026 is clear:
​
Sharks are present in Greek waters, people are reporting them more often, and with the help of fishermen, citizens, and local communities, Greece can build a much stronger picture of its shark biodiversity.