Marine monitoring along the eastern coastal area of the Island of Lesvos, Greece during 2004 in the framework of MEDPOL III

The present survey was carried out in the framework of MEDPOL Phase III (2004 - 2006), aiming to provide recent information for the long-term monitoring of pollution trends in selected susceptible marine environments along the Mediterranean coastline. Information was collected from a network of four stations spaced out along the eastern coast of the Island of Lesvos, Greece, including a high risk station near the harbour of the city of Mytilini. Pollutants in abiotic components of the marine environment (seawater, sediment) as well as in selected marine organisms (M. barbatus and B. boops) were measured. It was found that there is no evidence of substantial pollution of the marine environment (seawater, sediment and fish) with respect to the pollutants measured. However, it was shown that although the uncontrolled discharge of untreated effluents has been reduced since the beginning of the operation of the Mytilini sewage treatment plant in 2001, sediments near the harbour of the city still carry increased loads of metals of anthropogenic origin. Furthermore, the small quantity of untreated sewerage that still flows out in the harbour of the city seems to affect water quality, since a higher mesotrophic character with eutrophic trends was observed in the area.