Athanasios Karydis

Greek marine biologist who revolutionized coastal ecosystem protection policies

Dr. Athanasios Karydis (1958-2017) transformed marine conservation through his pioneering work on ecological quality indices. His Ecological Evaluation Index (EEI), developed through 12 years of Mediterranean research, became the EU standard for assessing coastal health.

Breaking from traditional methods, Karydis introduced multivariate statistical models that analyzed 47 biological parameters simultaneously. This holistic approach revealed previously unnoticed pollution patterns, leading to:

• 20% improvement in Greek wastewater treatment (2005-2015)
• Protection of 340km² Posidonia seagrass meadows
• EU's Marine Strategy Framework Directive (2008)