RAPID ASSESSMENT OF THE CONSERVATION STATUS OF SEA TURTLE NESTING SITES IN GREECE

THE NEED

The loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) is an iconic species, an ambassador of nature conservation. Throughout its life it uses a variety of marine and terrestrial habitats and undertakes migrations that extend over thousands of kilometers. The Mediterranean is home to distinct populations of the species, with some of the most important nesting areas being in Greece, and accounting for more than 50% of the total nesting activity recorded in the region. These are located in Zakynthos (Laganas Bay), the Peloponnese (Kyparissia Bay, Laconian Gulf, Koroni) and Crete (Rethymno, Chania, Messara Bay).

As with other sea turtle species, loggerhead turtles and their populations in the Mediterranean are threatened with extinction if the main threats to their survival are not addressed. The species is protected at a national, European and international level with measures covering all stages of its life cycle and its critical habitats, in particular its nesting areas. The National Action Plan for the Conservation of the loggerhead turtle identifies the following as the main threats:

• Degradation of nesting beaches and coastal ecosystems
• Residential or recreational activities and structures generating noise, light or other forms of nuisance (noise and light pollution, collision with boats, plastic litter)
• Incidental capture in fishing gear and intentional killing
• Climate change

Implementation of the legal provisions remains a challenge. At the same time, most of the pressures and threats faced by sea turtles in Greece continue to exist or are worsening as a result of tourism development and overfishing.

THE PROGRAM

The aim of the program is to contribute to the implementation of the National Action Plan for Caretta caretta in Greece (Government Gazette B3678/10.08.2021), by conducting rapid assessments of the conservation status of the species’ nesting areas (general status, threats and pressures), examining the main parameters affecting it (e.g. development, barriers, other disturbances, light pollution, etc.). Assessments will be carried out in a uniform, standardized manner, based on a protocol to be developed, over a two-year period (2024-2025).

The resulting data will be analyzed in order to provide relevant, up-to-date information to the competent authorities, with the aim of contributing to decision-making and the formulation of management policies, both now and in the future. During the project implementation, priority will be given to sites of the Natura 2000 network, but additional nesting sites may be assessed, too.

The activities of the program, which is a collaboration between ARCHELON and WWF Greece, will be implemented by teams of experienced staff of both organizations, as well as by trained volunteers and residents of the targeted areas, within the framework of Citizen Science.

The main expected results of the program are:

• Updated knowledge base on the type and spatial distribution of pressures and threats along more than 120 km of Caretta caretta nesting areas, the majority of which are areas of the Natura 2000 network
• Involvement of 100 people (estimated) in the protection of nesting beaches through Citizen Science activities, in particular in areas with moderate nesting activity but where there is insufficient information on their conservation.
• A user-friendly protocol/procedure for assessing the conservation status of nesting sites, which can be used as a prototype/model for implementing similar studies in the future or elsewhere in the region.
• Improved advocacy and communication to relevant authorities, regarding the need to address the most significant threats and pressures, either common or site-specific, in order to prevent further degradation of nesting beaches and future degradation of new sites