Dec
07
Apr
08
Author(s): Snape, RTE., Schofield, G., White, M.,
Date:26/02/2020
Journal: Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Fresh Water Ecosystems
Mar
06
Tracking of juvenile sea turtles is a research priority to inform the protection of relevant habitats and ensure sustainable rates of recruitment into adult populations. Based on satellite tracking, mixed stock analysis, and mark–recapturestudies, Drini Bay in the South Adriatic Sea, Central Mediterranean, has been con-firmed as an important foraging site used by loggerhead turtles from all major rookeries in the Mediterranean subpopulation
Jul
19
Apr
04
After a successful season of fieldwork in summer 2018, the second year of “Exploration of potential nesting sites & design of conservation measures for sporadic nesting in Albania “(2018-2019) is starting! Our collaborator Dr. Enerit Sacdanaku is placing equipment with the help of Albanian officials and fishermen to measure sea temperatures that will help us understand the future suitability of Albanian beaches for sea turtle nesting. Stay tuned! Our research in Albania is supported by the MAVA Foundation within the regional project “Conservation of sea turtles in the Mediterranean” which is being implemented by ARCHELON, DEKAMER, MEDASSET, MedPAN, NMPZ, RAC/SPA (leader), WWF Greece, WWF Turkey. For more information please click here.
Apr
04
We are just back from a coordination meeting with our partners of the project “Conservation of sea turtles in the Mediterranean” which is supported by the MAVA Foundation. We discussed progress in achieving the project’s 5 strategies and shared plans on our upcoming activities in 2019. The project is investigating new areas where sea turtles are extending their nesting activity, monitoring know nesting sites, placing satellite tracking devices, building capacity among managers to study and protect turtles, elaborating national action plans where they are lacking, and much more! MEDASSET presented research results from our survey in Albania in 2018 and our planned activities to help reduce sea turtle consumption in Egypt. We warmly thank Dekamer for hosting us at amazing Dalyan in Turkey! Photos by Dekamer.
Dec
05
For the 30th year in succession, MEDASSET participated in the Standing Committee Meeting of the Bern Convention...
Oct
26
As MEDASSET celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2018, our Founder and President, Lily Venizelos, sent a warm and powerful video message to the attendees of the 6th Mediterranean Conference on Marine Turtles organised between October 16-18, in Poreč, Croatia.
Oct
24
Α Presidential Decree has been set in place to protect the Kyparissia Gulf, the second most important nesting area of the Caretta caretta in the Mediterranean, a significant habitat which is a part of the European network of protected areas NATURA 2000.
Jan
09
BERN CONVENTION CALLS FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF ITS RECOMMENDATIONS AND ADOPTS DECISIONS FOR SEA TURTLE HABITATS IN GREECE & TURKEY For the 29th year in succession, MEDASSET participated in the 37th Standing Committee Meeting of the Bern Convention at the Council of Europe (Strasbourg, France, 4-8 December 2017). We presented the results of our sea turtle nesting beach surveys, raised our concerns and submitted recommendations. As a result, the Standing Committee of the Convention adopted important Decisions to monitor several sea turtle habitats and urge signatory states to improve protection. TURKEY Fethiye & Patara (Caretta caretta) We have been conducting assessments of these two sites and campaigning to improve the protection of loggerhead nesting beaches in Patara and Fethiye since 1988 and 2009 respectively. These efforts continued in 2017. Both sites are listed as Specially Protected Areas (SPAs) by the Turkish government. We found that, unfortunately, the majority of the Recommendations made by the Bern Convention in 2015 have not so far been implemented by the Turkish authorities. In Fethiye, there was minimal improvement in the protection and management of the site, except for a few new signs and […]
Dec
29
For the 29th year in succession MEDASSET attended the annual meeting in Strasbourg of the signatories to the Council of Europe's Convention
Dec
01
Since November 2016, MEDASSET has been running the MEDSEALITTER European Program
Jun
08
Last week saw the President of the United States of America Donald Trump withdraw from the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. Out of 200 countries, only three have rejected the Paris Agreement- Nicaragua, because it didn’t go far enough, Syria, which is in civil war and now the United States of America. Even North Korea has signed up, which shows just how out-of-step President Trump is with the rest of the world.
Jun
06
In November 2016, a paper appeared in the scientific journal Science Advances, published by the American Association for the Advancement of Science. The authors, all graduates of the University of California, have been looking at how three of the most common types of plastic acquire a coating of a chemical – Dimethyl sulphide or DMS – that produces an odour many organisms associate with their natural food.
May
19
Being General Secretary of an international organisation has its upside! At the end of April, I was invited to represent MEDASSET at the 37th International Sea Turtle Symposium in Las Vegas. Holding a symposium on marine reptiles in the middle of a desert, far from any ocean, may seem a rather eccentric decision but, as it turns out, turtle people will discuss sea turtles and all that concerns their survival more or less anywhere!
May
04
What difference does it make if Greece has been found guilty of operating an illegal landfill site in Zakynthos by the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU)? Not a lot, it seems. So what if the landfill site in question sits at the edge of the National Marine Park of Zakynthos, almost on top of a beach that is the most vital to the survival of the loggerhead turtle in the whole of the Mediterranean?
Apr
05
Click to read the joint EC LETTER from MEDASSET, Mom and WWF Greece regarding the operation of the landfill in the nesting area of Caretta caretta in Laganas Bay, Zakynthos, Greece (Natura 2000 GR).
Mar
14
Exciting news! The “Healthy Seas Fashion Project” Exhibition arrived at Deltapark Neeltje Jans in the Netherlands where it will remain for 2 years.
Mar
14
To deliver the objectives of the MEDSEALITTER programme, MEDASSET will be working with the Greek Centre for Marine Research and eight further partner organisations: the University of Barcelona and the University of Valencia (Spain); the EcoOcean Institute and the Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes (France); and finally from Italy the Cinque Terre National Park and Marine Protected Area (acting as Lead Partner), the Comune di Villasimius - Capo Carbonara Marine Protected Area, and the Italian National Institute for Environmental Protection and Research, Legambiente Onlus.
Mar
13
Sea turtles have played a significant role in human culture and spirituality for thousands of years, as they appear in storytelling, religious and folk traditions from all around the globe:
Mar
10
In collaboration with Kaleidoscope Publications MEDASSET has presented 1,500 copies of its educational kit “Mediterranean Sea, A Source of Life” to the Ministry of Education, Research and Religious Affairs so that the groundbreaking educational materials contained in each packet can be included in lesson plans used in the introductory classes being offered to the children of refugees.
Feb
22
Researchers at NASA wanted to find out whether they could use the scientific data-collection buoys that have been released into the world’s oceans over a 35-year period to create images of the “Great Garbage Patches” that form as a result of oceanic currents.
Feb
22
The first of the year’s missions to collect disused and discarded fishing nets took place. MEDASSET organised the action that is part of the European initiative: “Healthy Seas: A journey from waste to wear”.
Dec
01
We love what we do! Everyday we work to protect the marine environment and promote positive change in people. When someone like 15 year old Kerstine asks for our help because she and her team want to stop sea turtles from ingesting plastic bags, we jump at it. It is opportunities like these that make us love our jobs even more!
Oct
18
Sea turtles are one of the most iconic and cherished species in our oceans. More important, for millions of years they have played an integral part in maintaining the stability and resilience of marine ecosystems.
Oct
04
All 25 of the students from the Kellogg School of Management in the US have declared themselves helplessly addicted to summertime in Greece following their trips to Mykonos, Santorini and Schinias this August.
Sep
22
Our campaigns to improve the protection of loggerhead* nesting beaches in Patara (launched in 1988) and to halt severe degradation in Fethiye (launched in 2009), both listed as protected areas under the Barcelona Convention, continued in 2016.
Sep
21
The beaches of Kyparissia Bay are emerging as the most significant nesting area for loggerhead turtles in Greece for the fourth year in succession. By the end of May, the number of Caretta caretta nests had exceeded 2,500 (according ARCHELON) breaking every previous record. However, the good news has been somewhat overshadowed by reports of vandalised nests; a practice that regrettably has reached new levels this year. The area around Kalo Nero beach has been hardest hit by the vandals, who have been removing signage, protective mesh, and the reeds that are often placed around and over nests to discourage the predation of eggs by foxes and other animals. This new threat has been included in the report sent by MEDASSET to the Secretariat of the Bern Convention at the Council of Europe in August. The report also described the existing challenges that have already worked substantially to reduce the available nesting areas, such as: the construction of illegal buildings and roads; street lighting that acts both to disturb adult turtles and to disorientate hatchlings; the ever increasing numbers of beach umbrellas and sunbeds, and more besides. MEDASSET’s report condemns the lack of effective measures in place for the protection […]
Jul
21
It is hard, almost impossible, to imagine nature conservation in the world without Luc Hoffmann. He was the friend who inspired and encouraged my conservation work ever since we met in 1986 in Greece. Looking at his face, listening to his voice, feeling his smile, was enough to inspire and encourage you to go on with your conservation work. Nature conservation and the environmental movement owe a lot to Luc’s dedication, scientific knowledge, avid interest, vision, generosity and humanism. Our coasts, wetlands and emblematic species have largely benefited thanks to Luc’s work, which has created a legacy of teams and communities that will ensure his spirit and vision will live on. Luc will be greatly missed not only by his friends in Greece but also across the Mediterranean and the entire world. Lily Venizelos “Greece is the country of diversity…Zeus must have hit this area with his hammer, splashing thousand islands in the sea and tearing the mainland into pieces so that the country’s coastline became as long as the one of the whole continent of Africa. This physical multiplicity is increased by a wide gradient of climates, ranging from almost subtropical to truly alpine conditions, as well as by […]
Jul
18
MEDASSET and the Hellenic Anti-Cancer Society announced their new collaboration in a joint press conference at the Grande Bretagne Hotel, Athens, on the 28th of June. They will work together in the context of MEDASSET’s “Clean Seas: Swear to Care” campaign lead by the slogan: “Smoking seriously harms the beach”.
Jul
18
After a month’s stay at Golden Hall shopping centre in Marousi, our exhibition of clothing made with yarn reclaimed from the sea has reached the second stage of its journey. We are particularly delighted that one of Europe’s largest and most contemporary aquaria, CRETAquarium near Heraklion, Crete, is to open its doors to the “Healthy Seas Fashion Project” and present the show until the end of September.
Jul
15
Amparo Albacete Cremades is an enthusiastic teacher of English at a Spanish primary school, CEIP Magraner School in the town of Tavernes de la Valldigna in Valencia. Her 27 pupils there, aged between 7 and 8, are the “Untameables”. Amparo and her class are on a mission to learn more about the things that make them happy. Their list is a long one, and among other things, it includes “the sea” and “sea turtles”!
Jul
11
We have just published a new Report that presents the full findings of our 2014-2015 survey on the illegal trade in sea turtles in the fish markets of Alexandria in Egypt.
Between September 2014 and March 2015, with the help of young volunteer Sherif Abdullah, and under the supervision of Mohamed Nada, we organised a new survey to reveal the current status of the trade in Alexandria’s fish markets and to gain insights into the local community’s perceptions.
Jul
06
The educational outreach work MEDASSET does usually happens in Greece. So when the office in Athens got a call from a primary school in the UK, asking if someone could come and talk to their class of 6-year-olds about our work, we thought we would have to decline.
Jun
14
Between now and the 6th July the Golden Hall shopping centre is offering a unique opportunity to visit an exhibition that shows what can happen when environmentally aware fashion encounters the circular economy. The exhibition was created with the support of the Representation of the EU in Greece, and celebrates the first anniversary of MEDASSET’s role as coordinator in Greece of the successful European initiative: “Healthy Seas: A Journey from Waste to Wear”.
May
27
This year sea turtles began nesting on Mediterranean beaches quite early, with the first nest reported in Turkey (Dalaman, 26 April 2016) followed by Israel and Greece (Zakynthos, Kefalonia and Kyparissia).* In April, before the nesting season got under way, as part of our campaign to promote better protection of sea turtle nesting beaches in Fethiye (one of Turkey’s key loggerhead nesting sites), we wrote to 72 beachside tourism businesses. In our letter we informed them about our campaign and provided a list of steps they could take to help protect the nesting beach and the sea turtles. All simple but significant actions that make a difference, such as turning off lights and removing beach furniture at night. Urgent action is needed to halt the destruction of Fethiye’s coastal zone and mitigate the negative impacts of human activities that are reflected by a downward nesting trend. Together with authorities and biologists, beach businesses also can play a vital role in the protection and sustainable development of the nesting beach. The code of conduct that we suggest, if applied, will also mean that businesses are helping implement the Bern Convention’s recent Recommendation asking Turkey to take immediate action to improve Fethiye’s […]
Apr
17
Our first dive of the year, which took place over 3 days, was carried out in early April off the island of Makronisos. The team was made up of specialist divers from the Netherlands supported by experienced Greek volunteers. Working together with passion and enthusiasm they succeeded in clearing all the nets snagged on the wreck of the “Portugal”, which lies on the seabed off the island’s west coast at a depth of 32 metres.
Mar
29
A worn out fishing net that has reached the end of its useful life and has been abandoned at sea by its owner can carry on ‘fishing’ endlessly as it drifts with the currents. Nets such as these are responsible for the needless deaths of hundreds of marine creatures – sea turtles among them – and that is why they are known as “ghost nets”.
Mar
21
“Through the story of sea turtles, Kartik Shanker provides a rich history of India’s marine ecosystems, the international conservation movement and cutting-edge ecological research. The pen portraits are vivid, the analysis deep, the prose luminous. If more scientists could write as well as Shanker, and more environmentalists think as carefully as him, the world would be a much happier place.” ~ Ramachandra Guha We are happy to endorse this very interesting and well researched book by our dear friend, Dr Kartik Shanker. You can purchase your copy on amazon.
Mar
09
On June 30th, 2015, the Marine Turtle Research Group of Exeter University in conjunction with several other partners and sponsors, launched a new green sea turtle satellite tracking project in the northern part of Cyprus. MEDASSET supported the project via online promotion of turtle adoptions and by sharing project news. Why so special? Since 1998, the Marine Turtle Conservation Project (MTCP) has tracked a total of 22 green turtles in the Mediterranean, effectively discovering important foraging areas in the region. They do this by taking a tissue sample from each tracked animal and recording the stable isotope ratios present. Iso…what? Stable isotope ratios are stored in body cells and come from the organic matter that animals ingest. Because of geographically unique properties and peculiarities of each region, each ratio is indicative of a particular foraging area. Using the information collected from previous turtle tracking projects, MTCP had successfully labelled each foraging area with its particular isotopic ratio. But then, scientists identified a new isotopic ratio that did not match any of the previously collected data in a significant number of turtles. This meant there must be a foraging area somewhere that had, purely by chance, so far gone unrecognized. Its location […]
Mar
08
This year and always, through taking action in ten simple ways, through showing respect and taking personal responsibility, we can keep our beaches clean and our seas brimming with life. Let’s take a look at what was achieved last Summer as a result of our “Clean Seas: Swear to Care” campaign…
Feb
29
The collection of 22 tonnes of waste and ghost nets marked the first year of MEDASSETs partnership with the Healthy Seas initiative which aims to clear the seas of “ghost” nets.
Feb
29
Following the Council of Europe’s “Recommendation No. 174 for the case file Greece: Threats to marine turtles in Thines Kyparissias”, which urged Greece to prevent habitat deterioration and ensure improved protection of Southern Kyparissia Bay, MEDASSET, in cooperation with other Environmental NGOs, lobbied the Greek state for the implementation of the Recommendation.
Jan
05
The 2015 Paris Climate Conference, also known as COP21 held in December was hailed the “world’s greatest diplomatic success”. Negotiators, ministers and heads of state gathered in Paris and worked through the night to finalise the framework through which the world will seek to reduce carbon pollution and tackle climate change after 2020. The world’s leading scientists have warned that global warming of 2°C or more above pre-industrial levels will result in irreversible and catastrophic consequences. This includes consequences for sea turtles in the Mediterranean. Momentum was the key word and it really heated up. The year 2015 saw greater agreement on acting on climate change – the US-China announcement for action on climate change, oil and gas companies asking for consistent climate policy, the G7 calling for decarbonisation and the Pope’s Encyclical. The diversity of voices had never been greater. A global agreement was expected, but what it would look like was the question. Over 40 low lying nations across the Indian and Pacific oceans formed an Alliance to put forward a strong case for a target that would not see their homes underwater. This helped raise global ambitions and the end result saw agreement that greenhouse gas emissions […]
Dec
18
Eleven tonnes of waste fish farm nets, 8 tonnes of waste fishermen nets and 2 tonnes of derelict ghost nets fished from the seabed in Tolo and Kalymnos will be recycled to produce high quality yarn which will then be used for create beautiful garments. This is our contribution to the “Healthy Seas” initiative, a first for Greece as far as recovery activities of this aim and scope go! To produce the above results we partnered with 3 fishermen associations in Attica, the Sea Breeze Divers Club and Nireus Aquaculture. The “Healthy Seas” Initiative promotes marine protection and reduces ocean debris and is a prime example of how taking a circular approach to business practices and partnerships can yield new opportunities and fight a serious problem such as ghost nets. Moreover, there is a growing body of evidence to shows that marine litter, in particular derelict fishing nets (“ghost nets”), poses serious environmental, conservation, animal welfare, human health and economic costs that are of relevance to many stakeholders. It is a global problem that requires urgent action. If implemented on a large scale, the waste diversion and reverse supply chain model will encourage a global closed-loop manufacturing economy, completely changing the way companies source […]
Dec
17
For the 27th year in succession, MEDASSET participated in the annual meeting of the Bern Convention at the Council of Europe (35th Standing Committee Meeting, Strasbourg, France, 1-4 December 2015). We presented our sea turtle nesting beach assessments, raised our concerns and submitted recommendations. As a result, the Bern Convention adopted important decisions to monitor several sea turtle habitats and urge countries to step up protection.
Dec
03
The 2015 Paris Climate Conference, also known as COP21 is here. Negotiators, ministers and heads of state will gather in Paris to finalise the framework through which the world will seek to reduce carbon pollution and tackle climate change after 2020.
Sep
22
A few weeks ago we told you the story of five female green turtles released from Alagadi (Alakati) beach in Cyprus to be tracked via satellite by researchers* aiming to identify foraging areas in the Mediterranean so far unknown. “To know is to do” so if we know where the rare green turtles feed we can then help protect these areas.
Jul
24
Our project “Wiki Loves Sea Turtle Monuments" has reached a significant milestone, as it now includes photos from six of the seven continents! In addition, an interactive monuments map has been created.
Jul
23
On June 30th, 2015, the Marine Turtle Research Group in conjunction with Exeter University, MEDASSET, other partners and sponsors, released five green sea turtles from Alagadi beach in north Cyprus in order to track them via satellite. Before: why satellite track at all? Since 1998, the Marine Turtle Conservation Project (MTCP) has tracked a total of 22 individual turtles in the Mediterranean, effectively discovering important foraging areas for these marine species in the region. Now: what have we learned from satellite tracking? With each turtle that is tracked, the scientists take a tissue sample from the animal to analyze and also to record the stable isotope ratios present. What does chemistry have to do with satellite tracking? These stable isotope ratios present in the bodies of each animal come from the organic matter that they ingest and are then stored in the cells of their body. Each particular ratio of carbon and nitrogen isotopes is indicative of a particular foraging area; because of geographically unique properties and peculiarities of each region, these foraging areas can be identified by these isotopic indicators. From all of the previous tracking projects, they have successfully labeled each foraging area with its particular isotopic proportion. […]
Jul
21
When your message in a bottle washes up on a beach after days upon the rolling seas, you want it to land on the sparkling and pristine sands of Grecian paradise. You don’t want it to arrive amidst the detritus of crumpled soda cans, soiled plastic bags, gnarled plastic rings, and other refuse and ocean rejects that populate so many beaches.
Jun
05
MEDASSET and Healthy Seas have joined forces in the battle against marine litter. To this aim we have established partnerships with three fishermen associations in Attica who have began collecting their useless nets so they can be processed and reconstituted to make ECONYL ® yarn, a high-quality raw material that can be used to create new products, such as socks, swimwear or carpets.
Jun
04
Egyptian authorities recently confiscated sea turtles that were being illegally traded by fishmongers in Alexandria’s fish markets.
Apr
28
Between 18-24/04/2015 MEDASSET participated in the tri-annual 5th Mediterranean Conference and the 35th International Symposium on Sea Turtles (ISTS), in Dalaman, Turkey. The 35th ISTS marked a very important milestone in our history since our President received the ISTS Lifetime Achievement Award for her dedication to the conservation of sea turtles through the work of MEDASSET.
Apr
27
Each year, about 1,000 people that care about sea turtles gather somewhere in the world to exchange views, share latest techniques and research findings, form alliances, and renew old friendships. MEDASSET can’t always be represented, as travel expenses can be prohibitive, but in 2015 the ISTS, the International Sea Turtle Society’s annual Symposium, came to Dalaman, Turkey, and that meant MEDASSET was able to send a team and get involved on many levels.
Mar
03
In the Mediterranean, sea turtles suffered a major decline caused by intensive exploitation in the past (until the 1970s) either for consumption or for trade. In some parts of the Mediterranean, turtles are still, illegally, taken ashore destined for the cooking pot or a tourist attraction.
Feb
20
Monitoring the conservation situation in Zakynthos for yet another year, we found that the National Marine Park of Zakynthos (ZNMP) remains at the stage of struggling to address the same challenges and problems as in previous years. Inadequate control and supervision of the Park’s marine area results in private and business boats becoming a constant nuisance to sea turtles, and also in the illegal entry and anchoring of fishing boats in Maritime Zones A and B, especially during the hours of darkness. Available space for nesting has been significantly reduced in the past few years, while noise and lights from nightclubs and hotels disturb nesting. ZNMP visitors are inadequately informed about the safety measures due to inefficient and sparse signage at key locations. On several occasions nesting disturbance was observed at night. Obviously, in the currently dreadful economic situation, the uncertainty surrounding the funding of the managing body of the NMPZ undermines the conservation of the most important loggerhead nesting site in the Mediterranean. The oversaturated and illegal landfill Greece’s failure to take the right steps towards sealing the oversaturated and poorly functioning landfill site within the ZNMP, resulted, unsurprisingly, in condemnation from the European Court of Justice. […]
Feb
18
MEDASSET volunteers are a cheerful group of highly motivated individuals of all ages who share our vision and who wish to make a difference for sea turtles in the Mediterranean. In July 2014 we participated with our volunteers in the UpFestival; a famous summer open air music event in Koufonisi island, that brings together bands and young people from all over Greece. This tiny island, part of the Cyclades group in the Aegean Sea, is an EU NATURA 2000 protected site of great ecological importance and an up-and-coming tourism destination. Hellenic Seaways was our transportation sponsor. In partnership with the organising team, our volunteers discovered an original way to help reduce the impact of the festival (mainly from waste) to the environment: As the arena was located just a few meters from the sea and as strong winds were blowing, they designed and wore cool “sea turtle shells” that acted as litter bins raising awareness at the same time. The volunteers mingled with the crowd throughout the concert enjoying the music, while the shells on their backs were being filled-up with empty bottles! Some participants to the festival even asked if they could wear the ‘shells’ themselves! Litter was kept […]
Feb
11
The Libyan Seaturtle Program LibSTP (an initiative coordinated through the Environment General Authority (EGA) of Libya since 2005), recently established an activity aiming to educate school children and teachers about the endangered species of the Mediterranean Sea.
Feb
02
Around 34 years ago, a handful of young scientists whose love of marine turtles was equalled only by their specialist knowledge of them, organised the first American workshop in Waverly, Georgia, dedicated to “the protection and study of sea turtles”: About 70 people took part. The initiative proved such a success that it became established, and since then has been organised on an annual basis, hosted by a different country and on a different continent each time – but always one that enjoys a relationship with marine turtles. Gradually the number of delegates annually has reached 1,000 and attendance figures seem still to be rising! In 2002 the workshop morphed into an Association and was renamed the International Sea Turtle Symposium (ISTS). Its aim is to present and share the most recent research findings, studies, protection initiatives, environmental education programmes, and new techniques carried out or devised by scientific researchers, NGOs, students, educators and others. Each Symposium now features two auctions that are organised by teams of many volunteers. All the items offered for sale are donated by the delegates themselves and almost all include a turtle – often portrayed in a humorous way. The proceeds, which can amount to […]
Dec
23
Monitoring the conservation status of important sea turtle nesting beaches in the Mediterranean is one of MEDASSET’s key activities since 1988. We present our findings and recommendations to national and international authorities, such as the Bern Convention, to bring international attention to local conservation problems and encourage governments to take action.
Dec
23
2014 marked the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 50th anniversary! The Red list is an invaluable conservation resource, a health check for our planet – a Barometer of Life. All 7 species of sea turtles have been assessed and added to the Red List.
Dec
16
Written by Marlene Jahnke, PhD student working on seagrass population genetics at the Stazione Zoologica “Anton Dohrn”, Napoli, Italy. Seagrass meadows are one of the most important and valuable marine biomes, comparable to coral reefs and mangroves when considering biodiversity, economics and ecosystem services. Their role is so important because seagrasses are habitat-providing species as well as ecosystem engineers, meaning that they can modify their environment to the benefit of other species. For example, they are an important food source for charismatic and endangered species such as sea turtles, dugongs and manatees, and provide nursery grounds and shelter for commercially important species. In addition, they are responsible for exporting important amounts of carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus to coastal food webs. Other ecosystem services that seagrasses provide include influencing nutrient cycling and the food web structure, reducing wave impact, stabilizing sediments and adding oxygen to the water. In addition to them being our planet’s “blue lungs”, seagrasses are also a very important sink for carbon. One third of anthropogenic CO2 emissions are absorbed by oceans, also known as “blue carbon”, and much of this is due to seagrass meadows, mangroves and tidal salt marshes. Posidonia oceanica: Mediterranean’s underwater forest Snorkelling in […]
Aug
27
Seventy-two people played the new tug of war game we are calling “Human vs. Turtle“ at the Plissken music festival held in Athens in June 2014. The digital experience was designed by the Mixed Reality Lab of the University of Nottingham with some help from MEDASSET.
Jul
08
In the Mediterranean, especially over the past six years, countries hit by the economic crisis look at coastal tourism and real estate development to help them recover economically. Together with Spain, Turkey and Cyprus, Greece is reshaping policies to attract investments and increase commercial activity.
Jul
01
The value of Australia’s newly established network of marine parks has been highlighted by an international project that used satellite transmitters to track the vulnerable flatback sea turtle, which only inhabits the waters of Australia and New Guinea in the Pacific Ocean. The project may also serve as a template for marine conservation elsewhere in the world.
Feb
26
Monitoring the status of important sea turtle nesting beaches in the Mediterranean, against unsustainable development to bring about improved management is an important goal for MEDASSET. CYPRUS Akamas & Limni: These important green and loggerhead turtle nesting beaches are only protected on paper, as conservation measures are still not in force despite the fact that the beaches belong to the European Union’s (EU) Natura 2000 network of protected sites. In addition, the habitat in Limni is under threat because the land behind the nesting beach is not part of the protected zone. Following complaints, the European Commission stepped in and there is an ongoing process regarding the inadequate designation of the site boundaries for both Akamas and Limni. 2013 saw further degradation of the sites. In Limni, NGO Terra Cypria reported sand ploughing during the nesting season. This is the same site where the largest golf resort in the Mediterranean will be constructed. Disregarding objections from NGOs and scientists, authorities recently cancelled the 500 m buffer zone between the resort and the beach, and decided on a 20 m zone instead, with no justification. MEDASSET is working with Terra Cypria to convince the Cypriot government to revoke this decision and […]
Feb
21
Europe ringed in the New Year with a brand new fisheries policy. After four decades, the European Union’s (EU) common fisheries policy has been reformed to place the marine environment and sustainable livelihoods in the forefront. This is especially important for the Mediterranean Sea, where 88% of studied fish stocks are overfished, and destructive fishing threatens the survival of marine species such as sea turtles but also of fishing-reliant local communities. Since 2012 we are working side by side with the pan-European Ocean2012 group of organisations that monitor the reform of the fisheries policy and of the €1.6 billion fund that will subsidise fisheries till 2020, with EU taxpayers money. Throughout 2013, we directly lobbied Greek Ministers and Members of the European Parliament, requesting that they vote against policies that fuel overfishing and support a fund that will invest in better instead of more fishing. The reform process has now concluded. In summary, the Ocean2012 coalition campaign: – secured a legally binding target to end EU overfishing by 2020 – defeated proposals for compulsory transferable fishing concessions (fishing quotas) – ensured the inclusion of mitigation measures such as creation of marine protected areas, gradual elimination of wasteful discarding practices and […]
Feb
21
In October 2012 Egyptian NGO Nature Conservation Egypt (NCE) alerted us about news of “mass deaths of sea turtles” in Bardawil, a semi-enclosed coastal lagoon in North Sinai, Egypt.
Feb
20
For 25 years, MEDASSET has been working closely with educators and students to convey the message that cooperation and active participation are needed if we are to achieve our aim of conserving sea turtles and their habitats throughout the Mediterranean for the future. In 2013 we engaged over 6,400 pupils from 116 schools in this endeavour! Getting young people interested in sea turtles Our mascot, Niretta, proved to be an extremely useful tool in successfully conveying the message about the need to save our ancient mariners from extinction. In 2013, with the valuable contribution of a highly energetic team of volunteers, our award winning “Niretta the Caretta” programme visited 27 schools in Athens, met with 800 pupils and spoke to them about sea turtle conservation. MAD TV, a very popular station among young people, welcomed Niretta to their studios, providing us with an opportunity to promote our campaigns concerning sea turtles and their plight in a fun way. Getting students to turn their knowledge into practice In October 2013, throughout the “Join in & Clean up” campaign, 2,541 pupils and educators helped clean up 12 beaches throughout Greece, actively showing their concern for the marine environment. Acting as young citizen- […]
Jan
23
We are pleased to announce the release of a new paper: Population Structure for Sea Turtles at Drini Bay: An Important Nearshore Foraging and Developmental Habitat in Albania, by M. White, L. Boura and L. Venizelos.
Dec
11
We are just back from Strasbourg, France, where we participated in the Bern Convention’s annual meeting at the Council of Europe (3-6 December 2013).
Nov
01
The month of October was dedicated to the removal of debris found on beaches in Greece. This year 2,541 fantastic volunteers, most of whom students and educators, took part in the “Join in and Clean Up” campaign, helping us record and remove 3.5 tons of debris from 17.6 klm of beach. Thanks to their enthusiasm nearly 231,000 items were collected including 1,038 plastic single use cups, 1,291 plastic bags, 1,659 plastic straws, 2,585 plastic bottles, 6,053 pieces of plastic debris (smaller than 5cm) and 26,655 cigarette butts! Irene Katsifou, the Campaign coordinator had this to say: “We travelled to many places, we made new friends and of course… we cleaned up! After twelve cleanup activities we feel proud and we would like to express our sincere thanks to all of you who have devoted your time and passion to help keep our shores litter free. We are committed to continue supporting everyone who wants to be part of the solution.” Since 2011, the “Join In and Clean Up” campaign is carried out by MEDASSET and the environmental programme “Mission Water” of the Coca-Cola System in Greece (Coca-Cola Tria Epsilon and Coca-Cola Hellas) under the Auspices of UNEP/MAP. “We are especially […]
Jun
04
In May 2012, MEDASSET joined forces with OCEAN2012, a coalition of over 170 European NGOs, whose mission is to ensure that the reform of the European Union Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) stops overfishing, ends destructive fishing practices, and delivers fair and equitable use of fish stocks for local communities that depend on them for their livelihoods. While the CFP reform does not explicitly refer to affected non-fish species, like sea turtles, its provisions to reduce discards and bycatch will have indirect benefits for sea turtles. Bycatch kills an estimated 44,000 turtles every year in the Mediterranean; European fisheries policy therefore can play a critical role in sea turtle welfare in the Mediterranean. Discover what’s at stake by watching this short video . European Fish Weeks – End overfishing or fishing will be over! On June 8, World Oceans Day, MEDASSET met in Brussels with OCEAN2012 members for the official launch of the European Fish Weeks, forming a human fish shape in front of the European Parliament. This fish shape was a symbolic gesture, as a way for citizens across Europe to call on their representatives to take bold decisions that will put an end to overfishing. MEDASSET was an active […]
Dec
01
1 December 2012: For the 24th consecutive year, MEDASSET attended the Standing Committee Meeting of the Contracting Parties to the Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats (the “Bern Convention”) at the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, France on 27 – 30 November 2012. We presented a slideshow that illustrated the current situation on the nesting beaches of Fethiye’s Specially Protected Area (Turkey). Several of the conservation measures implemented in 2011 were not sustained in 2012, despite commitments made by the Turkish authorities in 2010. In addition, the construction of a new beachfront hotel destroyed the last remaining section of a wetland. Following our presentation, the delegate of Turkey accepted that the images made him “uncomfortable” and said that the authorities would monitor the situation more closely. The Convention’s Secretariat stated that it would be in contact with the Turkish government to monitor this case. Fethiye is one of the 12 most important loggerhead nesting beaches in Turkey. Threats to the nesting population have continuously been increasing, resulting in serious nesting decline. Learn more about this campaign here. We also updated the Standing Committee on the ongoing problems at Kyparissia Bay (Greece) by presenting a slideshow. […]
Jan
01
#SwearToCare #SwearToCare All 25 of the students from the Kellog School of Management in the US have declared themselves helplessly addicted to summertime in Greece following their trips to Mykonos, Santorini and Schinias this August. The young people were simply bowled over by the dramatic landscapes, the magical sandy beaches, the Aegean’s myriad shades of blue, and, of course, the vibrant night life! So, having taken part in a beach clean-up and made donations to our work, they each went on to make a pledge to our “Clean Seas: Swear to Care” campaign. The clean-up was carried out in cooperation with the Schinias-Marathon National Park, one of whose representatives gave a talk on the value of the area as a habitat for wildlife to the team of volunteer ‘cleaners’.