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According to the Association for the Protection and Rescue of Fauna, EQUINAC, gillnets in ropes, ghost fishing devices and marine litter is currently the main threat to sea turtles in their oceanic phase.

With a high risk of gillnet, the western Mediterranean Sea and in particular the Alboran Sea, constitute, according to the entity, a bottleneck for the recovery of three populations of common turtle (Caretta caretta) in a critical migration and feeding habitat.

To address the management of this threat, a project is proposed with a stranding care network capable of monitoring the incidence and rescuing and reintroducing a maximum number of juveniles and subadults in the region of Almeria. In turn, this action aims to contribute to a regional network MED GHOST FAD that seeks tangible solutions on a large scale.

The main objective of the project has been the recovery of the populations of the common turtle (Caretta caretta) by reducing the mortality of juveniles and subadults due to entanglement in marine litter, cabullería and drifting ghost fishing gear.

The specific objectives were as follows:

• Monitoring of threats by attending to strandings, recording scientific data for their management.
• Rescue, recovery and reintroduction of sea turtles affected by ghost fishing devices and marine litter.
• Contribute to the MED GHOST FAD network for concerted action at regional level.
• Ensure the long-term sustainability of the stranding network through multidisciplinary coordination and cooperation for the prevention and management of the risk of ghost fishing devices and marine litter.
• Raise awareness among citizens, relevant sectors and public administrations about the seriousness of the risk of ghost fishing devices and marine litter and seek cooperation with the fishing sector.
• To facilitate citizens, relevant sectors and public administrations to contribute as actors of change in the prevention and management of the risk of ghost fishing devices and marine litter.

• Research actions: exhaustive data collection for each specimen of common turtle (Caretta, caretta) collected by Equinac, (alive or not), including the cause of rescue, presence of epibionts (organisms that live on top of others), types of garbage or artifacts that have led to their stranding, presence of plastics in excretions, clinical evolution and necropsies.
• Management actions: rescue and primary care by the stranding network and subsequent recovery of loggerhead turtles collected alive at the EQUINAC centre and their subsequent reintroduction into the marine environment in protected areas.
• Cooperation actions: participation in the MED GHOST FAD network and contribution of data to contribute to the management of the risk of marine litter and ghost fishing in order to draw up a regional Action Plan.
• Training actions: organization of an information day to involve the fishing sector of the main ports of Almeria and preparation of dissemination and training materials for volunteers.
• Volunteer and citizen science actions: training of volunteers to help in the collection of data on beaches, training of the stranding network for the collection of data on marine litter and ghost fishing as a risk for this species.
• Communication and dissemination actions of the project.

The RETO project has sought to address the problem of human impact on species such as the loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta), based above all on a multi-sectoral collaboration within the province of Almeria.

Within the framework of the project, collaboration has been extended with more sectors such as fishermen, carrying out training sessions and disseminating relevant information on EQUINAC’s attention to strandings of live and dead turtles, in addition to contributing to the contribution of information to scientific platforms and projects such as LIFE INTEMARES. In total, 20 sea turtles have been treated, which contributes to the knowledge of the species and the risks they face. In addition, two turtles have been recovered, with another still hospitalized, and releases have been made in protected marine areas together with citizens, the Civil Guard and other collaborators

Some milestones and results of the project include:

• The management of MITECO permits for fishing vessels so that they can attend to and collect sea turtles at sea, contributing to Equinac’s work of care and recovery of protected marine fauna.
• The training of more than 30 fishing boats, the local police of El Ejido, a lifeguard company “Cooperación 2005 S.L.”, the Civil Protection of El Ejido, and citizens with important concepts to detect and help a sea turtle with this problem.
• The contribution in the contribution of data to Alnitak’s MED GHOST FADs platform, which will serve to prepare a technical report and to inform different national entities and European conservation bodies.
• The creation of protocols for the care of sea turtles at sea, which serves so that both fishermen and other sailors have basic and clear concepts about the management of a turtle with problems.
• The production of material, especially photographic, at the disposal of Administrations and collaborators to report on this problem and especially its impact on marine species such as the loggerhead turtle.
• Involve socioeconomic sectors and sea users in the surveillance of protected areas in terms of illegal fishing, as well as the rescue of sea turtles at sea.
• The involvement of volunteers in activities from the care of protected marine species stranded on the beach, to management activities of turtles in recovery and maintenance and cleaning of the recovery center.
• The communication work includes presentations by videoconference, conferences, publications on social networks, and press releases that have informed citizens about the problem and especially how they can get involved in the management of marine spaces.
• The creation of a platform to continue working in the coming years, especially based on local collaboration with fishermen and other sectors, which will allow us to continue to pay attention to protected marine species and provide data on them. And, in short, first steps so that the actions within this project have lasting repercussions for the work of EQUINAC and therefore the protected species that are cared for, and in particular loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta).