A research project is to look into the commercial and medical potential of three invasive fish species and to find a way of controlling their spread into the Greek waters.
According to Kathemirini newspaper, the project to look at the silver-cheeked toadfish, the cornetfish and lionfish will be carried out next month by the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA), the University of the Aegean and the Hellenic Centre for Marine Research with funding provided by the national Strategic Reference Framework.
Professor Magda Krokida of the NTUA’s School of Chemical Engineering said that previous research had shown that these toxic species could be help in the treatment of cancer, provide collagen supplements and had the potential for the creation of substitutes to synthetic botox.
The silver-cheeked toadfish, a puffer fish species, contains tetrodoxin in its body which protects it from predators as is very poisonous to those who eat the fish.
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The cornet fish which is a native of tropical and sub-tropical waters, including the Red Sea, was first spotted in the Mediterranean in 2000. It is believed the fish came through the Suez Canal and by 2007 was sighted on the coast of Spain.
The Lionfish is venomous in that it carries a toxic poison through its many spines. It is not poisonous to eat.