A toxic fish with human-like teeth are spreading through Greek waters just as the country’s peak tourist season begins, prompting concern among fishermen and a limited public health response.
The silver-cheeked toadfish, a torpedo-shaped species with sharp, protruding teeth, is known for both its aggressive bite and its highly toxic flesh, which contains tetrodotoxin, a potent neurotoxin capable of causing respiratory and cardiac failure, making it unsafe for human consumption.
Scientifically known as Lagocephalus sceleratus, the species is native to the Indian Ocean but is believed to have entered the Mediterranean via the Suez Canal, with warming sea temperatures helping it spread further north.
Fishermen in Greece are now being offered financial incentives to catch the invasive species as it continues to damage marine equipment and disrupt local fishing activity. While authorities say the fish has not been reported in designated bathing areas at popular Greek island resorts, it has caused significant disruption off Crete and other islands, where it has been found tearing through fishing nets.
“It’s got to the point where we might go out fishing one day and then spend the next three days fixing our nets,” said Giorgos Kyriakakis, of a Cretan fishermen’s association, speaking to Greek public broadcaster ERT. “They eat our catch and damage our nets, that’s very costly,” he added. The issue has also prompted neighbouring Cyprus to introduce a similar capture and control programme earlier this year.
From Friday, Greece began offering €5.33 per kilogram for catches of the fish, marking the first time such a scheme has been implemented in the country, Agriculture Minister Margaritis Schinas said ahead of the launch. He added that the fish, which is typically found in tropical waters and belongs to the pufferfish family, will be frozen and incinerated at government facilities, with the scheme expected to expand beyond the currently affected regions.
Public awareness has grown following viral videos shared by fishing crews showing the fish biting through objects such as aluminium cans and wood. Health concerns were also raised after an elderly woman in Varkiza, near Athens, was bitten while swimming and required stitches. Local reports said the fish attacked without provocation.
The Greek Red Cross has since issued safety guidance, warning of potential injuries and highlighting the dangers posed by the fish’s toxic organs. Marine expert Nota Peristeraki of the Hellenic Centre for Marine Research warned against close contact. “If you see it approaching you, you really need to avoid it,” she said.
She added that most incidents occur when people attempt to feed or handle the fish, noting that rare cases of severe injury, including loss of fingers or toes, have been recorded. However, she stressed such encounters remain uncommon, adding: “You are more likely to encounter a shark.”
Authorities and tourism stakeholders in Crete have urged against alarmism, stating that the presence of the species in the Mediterranean has been known for years and does not pose an immediate threat to swimmers. “There is, however, no ‘invisible’ or imminent danger to bathers. Marine predators do not threaten the safety of visitors and residents,” a joint statement from 16 medical and tourism associations on Crete said. It added that “exaggeration is often a feature of public debate.”
