Caretta caretta rescued in Marano Lagunare

Two turtles rescued in Marano Lagunare by fishermen, who attended the infoday workshop focusing on first aid procedures for turtles being caught.

During the hauling, fishermen of the M/P Astuzia have found two male turtles by weight of 45 kg. Durante la salpa della propria rete a strascico, l’equipaggio del M/P Astuzia ha individuato due esemplari maschi di circa 45 kg nel sacco della rete. Fishermen, who attended the infoday workshop focusing on first aid procedures for turtles being caught, in Marano Lagunare on July, have immediately applied the firs aid procedures. The two turtles have been released after they have recovered.

This happening represents the increasing awarness of fishermen about the protection of the turtles and this can be considered a great result for the project.

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