Sailing Responsibly: Seal Greece x Sustainable Sailing Greece Team Up to Protect Mediterranean Monk Seals
At the heart of the Greek summer lies a shared love of the sea, connecting sailors, wildlife advocates, island communities, and visitors. This season, we are joining forces with Seal Greece in a new collaboration promoting wildlife-aware sailing, with a special focus on protecting one of our most endangered marine mammals: Mediterranean monk seal
Why This Partnership Matters
The Mediterranean monk seal is one of the rarest marine mammals on the planet, with fewer than 1,000 individuals left in the wild. Greece is home to the largest population, a fragile colony scattered across the Aegean and Ionian seas. While they’ve long found refuge in remote coastal caves, growing nautical tourism is bringing people closer than ever to these sensitive habitats.
As more boats drop anchor in once-secluded coves, the risks of accidental disturbance increase. Loud engines, party cruises, drones, or curious swimmers entering marine caves can cause seals, especially mothers and pups, to abandon their breeding grounds. In some cases, the damage is permanent.
That’s why this partnership couldn’t be better timed… or more necessary.
A Shared Mission at Sea
Sustainable Sailing Greece (SSG) has long championed wildlife-conscious sailing, offering skippers and charterers practical, science-informed guidance on how to navigate responsibly. Our materials, developed by sailors, for sailors, are focused not on rules, but on realistic tips that fit naturally into the sailing lifestyle.
Seal Greece, co-led by the Monk Seal Alliance and Greece’s national environmental authority NECCA, shares that same mission: to educate, engage, and empower sailors to anchor with care and protect key habitats.
Together, our two initiatives are now aligning efforts to:
🧭 Expand the reach of our “Respect Wildlife” sailing guides, now including species-specific guidance for monk seals.
📍 Target high-traffic sailing areas like the North and Central Ionian Sea, where awareness can lead to measurable impact.
📱 Integrate monk seal content into our platforms, including our “Get to Know Nature” resources.
📸 Share creative, non-punitive messaging that speaks to community, not compliance.
🧠 Help sailors understand that they don’t need to see a monk seal to protect one. Small actions make a big difference.
A Few Sailing Tips
If you're sailing in the Ionian or Aegean this summer, here's a small recap on how you can help protect monk seals and marine life in general:
- Avoid anchoring near sea caves, especially in remote or rocky areas.
- Do not enter marine caves, even if they appear unmarked. They could be seal nurseries.
- Limit noise and engine use near secluded bays.
- Use our “Top Tips for Sustainable Sailing” to brief your crew and guests.
- Report wildlife sightings to help scientists track population movements.
- Follow the Seal Greece campaign online and try the new AR experience launching July 1st at sealgreece.org.
Try Seal Greece’s AR Experience — Meet Mona the Seal 🦭
Want to see the sea through a monk seal’s eyes? This summer, the Seal Alliance are inviting sailors and seal fans alike to meet Mona, a curious digital monk seal, in a fun and educational Augmented Reality (AR) experience. Launching July 1st, the AR experience brings marine conservation to life — right from your digital device.
Scan, learn, and interact — wherever your voyage takes you. Visit sealgreece.org to get started.
Building a Community of Ocean Advocates
What makes this collaboration powerful is its grassroots ethos: sailors protecting the seas they know and love. It’s about fostering a culture where responsible navigation becomes second nature, not a chore. It’s a mission, not a side quest.
Whether you're chartering for a week or living aboard all season, you are part of a growing network of citizen stewards. With every mindful anchorage, every shared tip, and every moment of respect for the wildlife that calls Greece home, you're helping to ensure that these marine ecosystems stay wild — and stay thriving.
Because the sea is not just a destination. It's a shared habitat.
Let’s keep Greece wild. Together.
🌐 Learn more:
📸 Follow the movement:
🧭 Download the Sustainable Sailing Guide or the summary Top Tips for Sailing flyer from Sustainable Sailing Greece and join the community protecting the seas we all sail.
Photographer credits: ©Bruno D'Amicis / The Wild Line Photography
