From the LIFE INTEMARES project, which we coordinate from the Biodiversity Foundation, we continue to promote action measures to promote the settlement of sea turtles on the Spanish coast, improve their knowledge and guarantee their protection.

Today we celebrate World Sea Turtle Day, this day coincides with the birth in 1909 of conservationist Archie Carr, whose work contributed to the protection of this species. This event pays tribute to one of the oldest groups of reptiles on the planet and also the most threatened to raise awareness of its conservation status.

In our country they are characterized by being highly migratory species, since they use our waters as a transit area on their long journeys across the ocean. However, they are increasingly using the Spanish coasts during their nesting period due to the effects of climate change.

Six of the seven species of sea turtles existing in the world have been observed in our territory , such as the loggerhead, leatherback, green, hawksbill, olive ridley and olive ridley turtles. Along these lines, the Biodiversity Foundation has participated in different projects and supports various initiatives to promote its protection and conservation. Thus, we have collaborated with almost 30 projects and allocated more than 1 million euros, through our calls for grants and subsidies.

Also through the MISTIC SEAS project, in which the Biodiversity Foundation participated as a partner, a common methodology was designed for the monitoring of marine biodiversity in the Macaronesia region. This project focused on populations of marine species, including mammals, birds and sea turtles, and sought to establish a common roadmap to improve coordination in the implementation of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive in Spain and Portugal (Canary Islands, Azores and Madeira), in one of the areas with the greatest marine biodiversity in Europe.

Six projects are currently under way in which sea turtles are the subject of study. One of them is the project developed by the association for the protection and rescue of fauna EQUINAC, which focuses on the threat posed by ghost fishing devices, ropes and marine litter adrift in pelagic species.

Within the framework of this project, the recovery center of Almerimar (Almeria) carries out rehabilitation actions for live animals, and necropsies and sampling of dead animals. Specifically, a few weeks ago a specimen of loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta), which was named ‘Paqui’, was released in the Cabo de Gata integral reserve, after recovering from the pneumonia she suffered when she was rescued last May.

On the other hand, FEDEPESCA, within the framework of the Pleamar Programme, is carrying out the FISHMONGERS 4 SEALIFE project, which includes a feasibility study and reuse of fishing resources for recovery centres. A pilot experience is being carried out, which aims to protect marine biodiversity through the use of resources, through which the product that cannot be sold is provided to contribute to the recovery of sea turtles.

Ensure the protection of loggerhead turtle females and nests

In addition, from the LIFE INTEMARES project, which we coordinate from the Biodiversity Foundation, we continue to promote action measures to promote the settlement of sea turtles on the Spanish coast, improve their knowledge and guarantee their protection.

In recent years, the sighting and appearance of the species Caretta caretta, the most common in Spanish waters, has become more and more frequent on our beaches, as well as the increase in the number of nests. Therefore, Measures are necessary to help locate them and ensure their survival.

In this line, we have launched training on marking in loggerhead turtle females, aimed at technicians from public administrations and personnel from stranding networks and marine wildlife rescue centers.

In addition, within the framework of the project, it will try to mark the breeding females to study their behavior and facilitate the detection of their nests. In the face of these episodes, citizen participation is essential, since human pressure on the beaches is one of the main risks for these nests. If you locate a nest, track or specimen of sea turtle, you should immediately notify 112.

In addition, during this season, we will mark 10 newborns born in 2020 and that have been in a captive breeding program for their subsequent release, which will allow us to study their behavior at sea.

Finally, we will begin to work on the drafting of a protocol at the national level for the attention to nesting events.

In parallel, the Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge continues to work on the Strategy for the conservation of the common turtle and other sea turtles, with the involvement of coastal autonomous communities, universities, scientific and recovery centres. This document will include measures for their protection, monitoring actions and lines of research, which will serve as the basis for the conservation and management actions carried out by the different administrations involved.