On 23 and 24 May 2025, the work of the creation and training of the Corfu Cetacean Pest Management Team (Corfu CEMT) of the Ionian Sea CEMT Network was completed with great success and participation in the Municipality of North Corfu at the Town Hall of Kouloura. The MMSR project is a collaboration between “ARION” and the Ionian Environment Foundation (IEF), and was held under the auspices of the Municipality of North Corfu with significant participation and support of citizens, the Ionian Islands Region and local government services. Particularly involved were. The team was formed by 36 volunteer members from the above mentioned institutions as well as from ordinary citizens who committed themselves to the objectives and importance of the team regarding the marine mammal fauna of Corfu. All members of the group reside and contribute to the local community and economy of the island, covering all three municipalities of the island in case of future spills on any of the island’s coasts.
The lectures and the training of the members of the Corfu MPA were held by the President of the Scientific Committee of the National Network for Monitoring and Recording of Marine Wildlife Species Extinctions of the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, Dr. Anastasia Komninos (DVM, PhD, Professor of Exotic and Wildlife Surgery-Medicine, Department of Veterinary Medicine), the Vice-Chairman of the Scientific Committee of the National Network for the Monitoring of Marine Wildlife Species Extinctions of the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, Dr. Anastasia Komninos (DVM, PhD, Professor of Surgery-Medicine of Exotic and Wildlife, Department of Veterinary Medicine), the Vice-Chairman of the Scientific Committee of the National Network for the Monitoring of Marine Wildlife Extinctions of the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, Dr. George Gafas, (Associate Professor of Molecular Biology of Marine Mammal and Fish Conservation, Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Aquatic Environment (tGIIP), University of Thessaly), Marine Biologist, Elena Akritopoulou (Scientific member of “ARION”, BSc, MSc, PhD(c) Marine Mammal Biomonitoring Unit – Department of Agriculture, Fisheries & Aquatic Environment – University of Thessaly) and Mr. Andreas Kyriazi Veterinarian DVM, member of the team of Veterinarians of the Research Centre for Cetacean Rescue and Care “ARION”.
The Corfu ODEK is ready to respond to incidents of cetacean strandings and strandings on the island and the next steps are already planned as far as the equipment of the team is concerned. We would like to thank the Region of Ionian Islands and the Vice-Regional Governor of Spatial Planning, Environment and Climate Change, Mr. Spyros Ioannou, as well as the local government of North Corfu, for their support and the greetings. Corfu and more specifically the Mayor of V. Corfu Mr. George Machimaris, the Deputy Mayor of the Circular Economy, Sanitation, Environment & Public Relations of North Corfu Mrs. Spyridoula Kokkali, and the Deputy Mayor of Civil Protection and Climate Change Mr. Theofanis Skembri.
