Greek minister says 2 major new marine parks will be created by the end of this year

By ELENA BECATOROS
Associated Press

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greece’s environment and energy minister says his country will be able to create two new major marine parks in the Ionian Sea and the Aegean Sea by the end of this year. The minister spoke during an international ocean conference in Athens. The parks will cover more than 17% of Greek territorial waters. The minister says a new system to monitor the parks that will include the use of drones, satellites and artificial intelligence will be ready by 2026. Greece also pledges to ban bottom trawling in national marine parks by 2026 and in all marine protected areas by 2030.