Turkish fishing vessels reportedly entered the National Marine Park of Alonissos and Northern Sporades near the strictly protected island of Piperi, prompting a response from the Greek Coast Guard.
Initial reports from the evening of August 17 alleged that the vessels had entered the protected marine area and were fishing near Piperi.
Greek Coast Guard sources later outlined the authorities’ response. According to the account cited by Kathimerini, officials received information about the possible presence of Turkish fishing vessels in the area and immediately sent a Coast Guard patrol boat from Skopelos.
By the time the patrol vessel reached the area, the Turkish boats had already moved away and were outside Greek territorial waters.
Coast Guard outlines response to Turkish vessels Near Alonissos
Coast Guard sources said patrol vessels intervene when authorities detect foreign-flagged fishing boats in Greek waters, with the aim of escorting them away from the area.
Operational units also record suspected illegal fishing through direct observations, photographs, video footage and other available evidence, according to the same sources.
Authorities then forward the relevant reports to the European Commission, Greece’s Foreign Ministry and the Ministry of Rural Development and Food.
The Coast Guard also noted that Turkish fishing vessels do not fall under European Union fisheries legislation or the EU’s Vessel Monitoring System.
The Coast Guard account does not indicate that its personnel directly witnessed the vessels fishing inside the protected zone. As a result, the allegation of fishing activity near Piperi rests on the initial reports of the incident rather than on a direct Coast Guard observation.
Piperi lies at the center of a strictly protected marine zone
Piperi forms part of the National Marine Park of Alonissos and Northern Sporades, one of Greece’s most important protected marine ecosystems.
The uninhabited island sits within the park’s most tightly controlled zone and provides critical habitat for the endangered Mediterranean monk seal, Monachus monachus.
Strict rules limit access to both the island and its surrounding waters in order to reduce human disturbance and protect the area’s wildlife. Authorities generally prohibit vessels from approaching within three nautical miles of Piperi without authorization and impose tight restrictions on fishing and other activities.
The reported presence of fishing vessels near the island has therefore raised concerns over both maritime enforcement and the protection of one of Greece’s most environmentally sensitive marine areas.
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