The constant spread of hareheads in the Mediterranean and the serious effects they cause on both the ecosystem and fishing activity were at the heart of the report of the French News Agency (AFP), which traveled to Crete to record closely the difficulties experienced by professional fishermen.
In the related publication, accompanied by videos filmed on the island, AFP reports that fishermen see smaller and smaller fish due to hareheads, a species that can reach a length of between 40 and 60 cm.
The French agency notes that these fish appeared in Greek waters about two decades They are now one of the most important headaches in the fisheries sector, as their population is increasing constantly.
"He ate the fish, cut the rope," says the fisherman in front of the camera Alexis Charalabakis, describing the damage his equipment suffered from the hareheads, which forced him to procure new nets.
For his part, Kostis Zevelekakis stresses: "Our work is getting worse every year". And he adds: "There is no light on the horizon. The State does not help, it should have done something to contain these fish.".
According to fishermen, the rise in the temperature of Mediterranean waters has favoured the proliferation of the species, resulting in the financial losses caused by damage to catches and nets reaching an average of EUR 8,500 the time for each professional.
Rabbitheads are not consumed by humans, as they contain highly potent toxin, which is considered dangerous and can even be fatal.
It is typical, as noted, that these fish are avoided even by cats. Fishermen report that animals do not approach them, even when thrown at them, which is attributed to their instincts to recognize the risk regardless of the size of the fish.