Development of a Pan-Mediterranean Sea Turtle Stranding Protocol & Database

The Mediterranean Sea is a biodiversity hotspot of high importance worldwide and hosts significant sea turtle populations across its range for mating, nesting, as well as for feeding and wintering of adult, sub-adult and juvenile individuals. As the largest semi-closed basin on our planet surrounded by 23 countries with a total coastline length of 46.000 km, consequently sea turtle strandings occur every day across the Mediterranean, either alive, injured or dead. It is important that these incidents are managed and recorded.

To date, some Mediterranean countries have a National Stranding Network that use a specific protocol for recordings, whereas others operate independently, applying different protocols within the same region. The necessity of the elaboration of a Pan-Mediterranean Stranding Protocol and Database has been identified as a priority, for data collection regarding sea turtles of the Mediterranean. MEDASSET perceiving this necessity and priority, with the aim of conserving these emblematic creatures, implemented the activity for the “Development of a Pan-Mediterranean Stranding Protocol & Database” in the framework of the project “Conservation of Marine Turtles in the Mediterranean Region”.