August 9 is TARTA-DAY!

Today 9 August is the day dedicated to the protection of sea turtles, organized by the TartaLife recovery centers

Today, August 9th, Tartaday is celebrated, the day dedicated to the protection of sea turtles and their habitat organized by partners and by the recovery and care centers for sea turtles of the EU TartaLife project, which have been working continuously for 5 years, 365 days a year, to contribute to the conservation of the sea turtle.

The Cetacea Foundation for August 9th will open the Riccione Center to the public with informative meetings, games with children using the Scopritarta, and on the evening of the 8th there will be an aperitif with music and a party for the Pesaro nursery. In Pesaro the day will be dedicated to environmental education and a conference at Parco San Bartolo. In Volano (Ferrara) the day will take place at the Sailing Club with a visit to the new center of Goro and a boat trip on the trail of the Caretta caretta.

Numerous appointments in Sicily. In the Egadi Islands the activities planned by the Marine Protected Area "Egadi Islands" and the Recovery Center for sea turtles will be: from 11 to 13 and from 17.30 to 19 the recovery center will be open to the public with meetings with operators to illustrate the activities carried out and learn about ecology and threats concerning sea turtles. At the beginning of the day a plaque will be affixed with the new name of the center, recognized with a provincial recovery center. At 7 pm there will be the "Tartabimbi" activity dedicated to children, with didactic and playful moments on the theme of sea turtles. During the day, if the weather conditions are favorable, a turtle will be released in the center. In the Aeolian Islands, in Stromboli, the operators of the Filicudi Wildlife Conservation together with tourists will guard a nest where a hatch is expected. Double appointment at the Pelagie: in Linosa, a presidium of the Tartalife project in the Pozzolana beach of Ponente where there are nests, while in Lampedusa at Guitgia beach at 4pm there is a "tartasafe" demonstration with the Harbor Office and FISA-Baby and delivery rescue kit. At 18.30 at the headquarters of the Marine Protected Area two longlines of the Tartalife project will be delivered to two fishermen of the island.

In Gallipoli, in the Salento Puglia, active info point for the whole day at the two nests (Green Bay area) and also in Puglia guided tours throughout the day also at the Turtle Recovery Center of Manfredonia.

At the Talamone Sea Turtle Recovery Center in Tuscany, it will be possible to visit the exhibition area starting at 4pm.

While at the Marine Turtle center of Pollica, in the Cilento area, it will be possible to take guided tours of the Sea Museum and discover the world of sea turtles.

objective

reduction of sea turtle mortality in the professional fishing

project in brief

The conservation of Caretta caretta, a priority species included in App. II/IV of the Habitat Directive and protected in various international Conventions, has been representing a strategic issue for the whole Mediterranean basin, with professional fishing being the main threat for the survival of marine turtles: every year about 130000 turtles can be accidentally caught accidentally in the Mediterranean.

The project TartaLife, involving all 15 Italian regions overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, aims at reducing:
- bycatches caused by pelagic longline, bottom trawl and fixed nets by disseminating technical innovations of the fishing gears;
- post-capture mortality through trainings for fishermen and strengthening the marine turtles First Aid/Rescue Centres

TartaLife project

Life+ programme

The LIFE programme is the EU’s funding instrument for the environment. The general objective of LIFE is to contribute to the implementation, updating and development of EU environmental policy and legislation by co-financing pilot or demonstration projects with European added value.

LIFE began in 1992 and to date there have been four complete phases of the programme (LIFE I: 1992-1995, LIFE II: 1996-1999, LIFE III: 2000-2006 and LIFE+: 2007-2013). During this period, LIFE has co-financed some 3954 projects across the EU, contributing approximately €3.1 billion to the protection of the environment.

Life+ programme