'He Met Seals': Prince Albert Dives in Greek Marine Park, Pledges Support for Conservation

Prince Albert II of Monaco made a high-profile sojourn to the Northern Sporades islands this week to item marine conservation efforts, diving with endangered Mediterranean monk seals and pledging his foundation's enactment for section biology initiatives.

The prince arrived successful the archipelago connected his solar- and sail-powered probe vas arsenic portion of a ngo to beforehand the enlargement of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) crossed the region.

On Wednesday morning, helium conducted dives successful the waters betwixt Skiathos and Skopelos. "He enactment connected his cogwheel and went for a swim," said Theodoros Tzoumas, the politician of Skiathos. "When we saw him, helium told america helium met seals and expressed his gratitude for the hospitality and conservation efforts."

Later, Prince Albert traveled to the land of Alonissos, location to the largest marine protected country successful Europe, wherever helium inaugurated an ocean-themed movie festival.

Panagiotis Anagnostou, the politician of Alonissos, welcomed the prince, saying his travel "inspires the quality spirit."

During a meal hosted by Mr. Tzoumas and Greek Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni, the paper featured lionfish, an invasive taxon whose depletion Prince Albert has agelong promoted arsenic a mode to power its spread.

"The lone mode to combat its proliferation is to bring it to citizens’ tables,” Mr. Tzoumas said.

The prince reportedly favored the lionfish fricassee.

Prince Albert besides expressed a idiosyncratic involvement successful purchasing spot connected Skiathos, noting that his parents, Prince Rainier and Grace Kelly, were predominant visitors to the land arsenic guests of the shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis.

The sojourn underscores the increasing planetary designation of the Sporades' ecological importance.