The Ministry for Ecological Transition (MITECO), through the General Directorate of Sustainability of the Coast and the Sea, has promoted a series of measures to guarantee the protection of sea turtles and promote nesting on the Spanish coast. All this, within the framework of the LIFE INTEMARES project, which we coordinate from the Biodiversity Foundation.

Due to the effects of climate change, the distribution of loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) nesting has shifted and now also includes the western Mediterranean coasts – Italian, French and Spanish. This species is highly migratory and is listed as “vulnerable” in the Spanish Catalogue of Threatened Species.

During this season, the breeding females that arrive on our coasts will be marked for satellite monitoring, with the aim of studying their behaviour and facilitating the detection of their nests. Sea turtles usually lay their eggs on the beaches where they were born, so the success of their birth will determine that they return to our coasts to lay eggs and thus promote the conservation of the species.

Another measure consists of carrying out studies to analyse the environmental characteristics of the Spanish beaches chosen by the turtles for spawning and to determine those that would be most suitable to, where appropriate, move the nests located on beaches that are not suitable.

The human pressure that exists on Spanish beaches is one of the main risks for these nests, so citizen collaboration is essential. If you locate a nest or specimen of sea turtle, you should immediately notify 112.

In addition, an action protocol will soon be implemented at the national level to strengthen coordination between all the agents involved in sporadic nesting events, including scientists and technicians, recovery centres and administrations.