The Pieterburen Seal Centre has been working together with the "Hellenic Society for the Protection and Study of the Monk Seal" in Greece since 1988 to put together a plan to save the endangered monk seal. In the summer of 1990, the Seal Centre set up a mobile rescue station on the island Allonnissos in the Northern Sporades, which has a large container, a complete quarantine basin, a kitchen and furniture. Every year, several monk seals are taken in, looked after and then, amidst a great deal of interest from the local inhabitants, released back into their natural habitat. The interest of the local people is vitally important for the survival of the monk seal. It is only by providing information that the misunderstanding that the monk seal is a threat to the local fishing industry can be cleared up. Many monk seals fell victim to this misconception. Local fishermen used to kill every seal they saw. The main cause of the fact that there was not enough fish for the local fishermen was the large-scale (factory) trawlers that used to prowl the area. Now that these ships are no longer present, there is enough fish for everyone and the fishermen of the Northern Sporades have grown to like the monk seal. Seeing monk seals in the sea is a sign of clean water and a lot of fish.

The chances for the monk seal of the Mediterranean Sea can only improve if the problem is tackled on three fronts: 1. Providing rescue and care services in the direct vicinity of the natural habitat of the (predominantly young) animals that run into difficulties 2. Improved measures for protecting the seals' natural environment that have broad political support 3. Providing the local inhabitants factual information The Seal Centre uses all its resources and knowledge to help protect one of the most endangered sea mammals from extinction.