Euronews OCEAN Season 5, Episode 8 – Saving Mediterranean turtles and dolphins, one life at a time

This episode of “Ocean" delves into the challenges faced by threatened marine species in the Mediterranean, showcasing the dedicated efforts to safeguard these creatures.

We begin with the EU-supported conservation work carried out by ARCHELON, a Greek organisation protecting sea turtles nesting in the Kyparissia Bay. The unceasing efforts involve monitoring beaches, locating, studying, and safeguarding the nests with metal grids to prevent disturbances. The organisation's work has led to a remarkable increase in the number of nests over the years.

We then visit the Sea Turtle Rescue Centre in Glyfada, near Athens, where injured and sick turtles are nursed back to health. The centre's staff and volunteers work tirelessly to treat various injuries often caused by interactions with fishers and fishing gear, highlighting the need for awareness raising to prevent harm to these creatures.

The story continues in Liguria in Italy where local associations protect dolphins and other marine life, collecting vital survey data to identify areas requiring increased protection. The episode mentions the collaboration between marine scientists and local fishers in the Mediterranean and Black Sea (SUBMON, GFCM/ACCOBAMS projects) to understand the challenges related to dolphin depredation and methods of its mitigation and prevention.

The episode concludes by emphasising the crucial role of collaborative efforts among conservationists, researchers, fishers, and volunteers, showing an example of the European project “LIFE Delfi”’s rescue training for stranded cetaceans.

OCEAN is a Euronews magazine in collaboration with the Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (MARE). It features monthly 8-minute videos, where we discover fascinating projects and developments related to the ocean and coastal communities.

Broadcast since 2019, OCEAN features episodes on marine protected areas, small-scale fisheries, ocean energy, aquaculture, IUU fishing, sustainable fisheries and much more. Missed one? Check them out on the Euronews website! You will also find some nice extras about these topics.

Share on social media, tag @EU_MARE and @euronews and use the hashtag #oceanEU