Study finds widespread unidentified vessel activity in Cyprus marine protected areas

A recent study conducted by PERIOPSIS Ltd, the Marine and Environmental Research (MER) Lab, and researcher Finn Lageveen has revealed that over half of the vessels detected in three Cypriot marine protected areas (MPAs) lacked official tracking signals. Between the summers of 2024 and 2025, satellite monitoring identified 2,060 vessels within the Lady’s Mile, Latsi-Akamas, and Cape Greco zones. Of these, 1,114 vessels—approximately 54 percent—did not correspond to signals from the Automatic Identification System (AIS), which is mandatory for many vessels to broadcast their identity and route.

The research highlights significant concerns regarding the protection of Posidonia oceanica, a seagrass species critical for coastal defense, carbon sequestration, and marine biodiversity. These meadows grow at a very slow rate, meaning that physical damage caused by anchorages or illegal passage can persist for decades. While researchers acknowledge that some unidentified vessels may represent legal tourist or leisure activity, the absence of AIS data leaves open the possibility of undeclared or illicit operations, including unauthorized fishing and cargo transport. The findings underscore a potential gap in the monitoring and regulation of these environmentally sensitive zones, which are designated specifically for their ecological value.