Poisonous fugu fish have reached Ukraine's shores
In the Black Sea, particularly off the Ukrainian coast, the silvery tetraodon (Lagocephalus sceleratus)—a deadly poisonous invasive predator from the Skeletogobius family—is being spotted with increasing frequency. In Japan, some species of tetraodon are eaten; there, fugu is considered a delicacy.
Previously, this species was found exclusively in the Indo-Pacific region, but it entered the Mediterranean Sea via the Suez Canal and subsequently reached the Black Sea.
The tetraodon has strong, beak-like jaws capable of biting through fishing nets and wood, and of inflicting severe lacerations on humans that result in heavy bleeding. In Greece, the Red Cross is already urging people to seek immediate medical attention if bitten by this fish. As an active predator, the pufferfish preys on mollusks, crustaceans, and native fish species, depriving fishermen of their catch and damaging their gear. In Cyprus in 2024, authorities even introduced cash rewards for catching this pest, resulting in the removal of over 103 metric tons of fish from the water.
Scientists note that, thanks to its high adaptability, the silver tetraodon has fully acclimated to its new environment, so its presence in European and Ukrainian waters is now a new long-term reality.
Source: Focus.
The State Environmental Inspection of the Southwestern Region warned about the toxic invasive species in the Black Sea—the silver tetraodon—as early as 2025.
In Kyiv’s Verbne Lake, anglers have spotted the sunfish—an invasive species, that is, a fish native to North America that has been introduced and is gradually spreading throughout the capital’s water bodies. It is now impossible to eradicate it.
Read also: Angler’s Calendar for July 2026: The Toughest Month for Bites.
