The Tartalazio Regional Network: an institutional approach to sea turtle conservation

Abstract

The TartaLazio network was established by the Lazio Region in 2017, having as its objective the implementation of a continuous monitoring system of Caretta caretta and its conservation status, in compliance with the international Directives and the national laws. For the first time in Lazio, a systematic collection of data on sea turtle strandings was carried out. The rapid increase in the number of nests along the Italian coasts, including Lazio, has extended the network tasks to include nest monitoring. The network coordinates an ever-increasing number of entities pursuing the aims of protecting and conserving turtles, with the collaboration of public/private research and conservation actors as well the involvement of citizens and stakeholders.

A coordination group, made up of specialists, was authorized by MITE to operate in the context of a detailed multi-year research project. Data on more than 300 stranded sea turtles specimens were collected between 2016 and 2023 and on 42 nests.