An interaction index to predict turtle bycatch in a Mediterranean bottom trawl fishery

An interview-based approach to assess sea turtle bycatch in Italian waters

“…Intense trawl net-loggerhead turtle interactions have already been described in the Northern Adriatic in a study combining fishing effort data and satellite data from tagged turtles (Lucchetti et al, 2016). The area is characterized by shallow waters (<100 m) and rich benthic communities, and is considered as a key-feeding habitat in the whole Mediterranean, where turtles in the demersal stage spend the winter (Lazar & Tvrtkovic, 1995; Casale, Laurent & De Metrio, 2004; Lazar, Ziza & Tvrtkovic, 2006; Lucchetti & Sala, 2010).…”

“…Turtles-fisheries interactions occur wherever fishing activities overlap with turtle habitats (Lucchetti et al, 2016). Different gears seem to involve different capture and mortality rates (Gerosa & Casale, 1999) and to affect different life stages.…”

Mitochondrial DNA reveals the natal origin of Caretta caretta (Testudines: Cheloniidae) stranded or bycaught along the Southwestern Adriatic coasts

“…Moreover, in countertendency with the general decline of sea turtles at the global scale, the number of turtles rescued at the Adriatic CRTMs has increased over the last five years (Marine Environment Department Database, Italian Ministry of Environment). These results are a matter of great concern for the conservation of C. caretta, because they suggest that the Adriatic Sea is becoming a "funnel" for turtles by attracting them towards a closed basin characterised by high fishing pressure (Lucchetti et al 2016). Therefore, the high density of turtles in a small area with high fishing activity makes the impact of bycatch by fishing particularly intense on this species.…”

“…Usually, individuals from distinct Mediterranean and/or Atlantic rookeries are admixed in these feeding grounds (Laurent et al 1998;Carreras et al 2006;Clusa et al 2014), except for the Adriatic foraging area in which only loggerhead turtles coming from Mediterranean rookeries have been found so far (Giovannotti et al 2010;Yilmaz et al 2012;Clusa et al 2014). Therefore, knowledge of the biology and migrations of C. caretta represents a crucial point to evaluate the impact of different fishing activities in different areas and to identify possible management measures (Lucchetti et al 2016).…”

Flexible Turtle Excluder Device (TED): an effective tool for Mediterranean coastal multispecies bottom trawl fisheries

“…The high fishing effort in this area, in conjunction with other anthropogenic activities, represents a significant threat to marine ecosystems, habitats and species conservation (Worm et al 2006;Halpern et al 2008;Tittensor et al 2010). Bycatch has become a serious conservation challenge for some marine species such as sea turtles (Fortuna et al 2010;Casale 2011;Casale et al 2004Lucchetti and Sala 2010;Lucchetti et al 2016). Three species of sea turtles are regularly found in the Mediterranean basin (Tudela 2004): the leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea), the green turtle (Chelonia mydas) and the loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta).…”