TartaLife and Acquario di Cattolica

The Networking will contribute to the protection of sea turtle Caretta caretta

The Aquarium of Cattolica since its establishment has always been committed to raising awareness and educating the general public to the conservation and the responsible management of the environment and to the knowledge of the animals.

In the framework of Tartamica project (Save an endangered species) the Aquarium of Cattolica launched the Info Point "Turtles in the Adriatic", the first point of information in Italy, made in collaboration with the project TARTALIFE and Fondazione Cetacea Onlus Riccione. The Info Point visitor center release information on responsible fishing practices and respect for the environment, on conservation projects such as Tartalife, with the possibility for the public also to follow the rescue process of the turtles and subsequent release into the sea by Foundation staff, of the specimens that have been stranded on the Adriatic coastline or caught by fishing gears.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION VISIT:

http://www.acquariodicattolica.it/

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