Marine litter and sea turtles: Results of MEDASSET’s activities in the Adriatic & Ionian region Konstantina Kostoula, Liza Boura, Jenny Ioannou MEDASSET-Mediterranean Association to Save the Sea Turtles, medasset@medasset.org, 1C Licavitou St., 10672 Athens GREECE
Sea Turtles & Marine Litter The Adriatic-Ionian region hosts major sea turtle habitats (see Fig. 1). Caretta caretta nests, feeds, develops and overwinters in the region. Chelonia mydas and Dermochelys coriacea are occasionally found in the Adriatic and Ionian region. All three are priority species that are threatened with Fig. 1. General map of marine extinction. and terrestrial sea turtle habitats in Adriatic and Ionian Seas.
Marine litter is considered one of the main threats to sea turtle survival [1] and sea turtles are useful indicator species for marine litter levels. • Ingestion. Sea turtles of all species and age classes in the Mediterranean frequently ingest marine litter, especially plastic bags and other plastic items, as they mistake them for food. Litter ingestion blocks the digestive tract or fills the stomach, with lethal effects. Air bubbles in ingested items prevent turtles from diving. Hazardous chemicals contained in plastics accumulate in the animal’s body and affect metabolism, reproduction and the immune system. • Entanglement in derelict fishing gear and other marine litter causes injuries, infections, exhaustion and/or death. Marine litter washed ashore forms a lethal obstacle to hatchlings emerging from nests.
Since 1988, MEDASSET • documents litter problems through beach cleanups and sea turtle habitat surveys. • educates the general public and younger generation • advocates for marine litter reduction Here we present MEDASSET’s recent activities related to marine litter.
Monitoring and reduction of marine litter is a priority for sea turtle conservation of in the region. Photo:G. Hau
Survey of coastal litter in Albania
Advocacy for illegal landfill closure
Awareness campaign on plastic bags
Drini Bay is an important foraging and developmental habitat for loggerhead sea turtles, according to the results of a collaborative research project that MEDASSET led in Patok Lagoon in 2008-2010. [2] Project researchers conducted a coastal litter survey in Drini Bay between August - September 2009. At each of the 11 locations, items along the coast were counted into categories and the worst affected areas were identified (see Fig. 3) (for methods see [3]).
An illegal and saturated waste disposal site operates in the National Marine Park of Zakynthos Island (see red polygon in Fig. 1). MEDASSET and other NGOs have reported and complained about recurring pollution events for over a decade. The European Commission decided to refer the case to the EU Court of Justice in 2012 (IP/12/1023). In February 2014, the local government finally ordered the landfill closure.
To celebrate the World Turtle Day on 23rd May 2012, MEDASSET created a poster and slogan to raise awareness about the devastating effects of plastic bags on sea turtles. Two days after its launch the poster went viral on social media. It has been translated in 11 languages, adopted by 65 organisations and is in permanent exhibition at prestigious institutions around the world. As a result it has been viewed by millions around the world and shared by over 240,000 on Facebook. Its success led to its adaptation to an animated public service announcement.
Fig. 3. Map of surveyed areas and item counts. Plastics made up 85% of the total items counted during the survey and the south of the Bay, near the outflow of Ishmi River, was the worst affected area.
Education and beach cleanups
join in
and clean up
Items recorded & removed in 2011-2013
4.504
1.296 1.245 591 268 1.709
5.207 26.208 6.342 12.939 21.704
Plastic Smoking related Fabrics Paper Metal Glass Other Wood Rubber Fishing gear Medical & Sanitary
Fig. 2. Leachate and rubbish from illegal landfill pollute sea turtle habitat in National Marine Park of Zakynthos Island
Advocacy for marine litter reduction MEDASSET encourages leaders to instigate groundbreaking policies that will tackle the problem. Marine litter reduction targets are being set at the European and Mediterranean level, through the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive and the Ecosystem Approach Implementation Programme of the UNEP Mediterranean Action Plan respectively, which are then incorporated into national policy. MEDASSET participates in these processes and advocates for robust monitoring programmes, ambitious 50% reduction targets and a plastic bag phase-out and ban.
Awareness raising through art “Your Plastic Sea” exhibition is comprised of a hanging art installation and 8 story-telling photos. It was created at an art workshop in June 2012 by 450 volunteers who had just participated in a beach cleanup activity at the island of Crete. The installation consists of a fishing net and pieces of collected marine litter. Accompanied by photos of both the cleanup activity and the workshop, it is displayed in festivals and public events to raise awareness.
To advance monitoring of marine litter impacts on sea turtles • reinforce, coordinate and harmonise data collection through well-capacitated facilities To resolve localised problems and reduce the otherwise massive cleanup cost • mobilise voluntary coastal cleanups, litter fishing and “ghost net” removal
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The 2009 project ‘Monitoring & conservation of important sea turtle feeding grounds in the Patok area of Albania’, was co-funded by the British Chelonia Group, GEF/SGP, UNEP/MAP and RAC/SPA, and implemented in collaboration with Herpetofauna Albanian Society. ‘Small Garbage’ has been supported by the Greek Ministry of Environment, Project Aware, GAWF, Amita Motion and Coca-Cola HBC. ‘Join In and Clean Up’ is carried out by MEDASSET and the environmental programme Mission Water of the Coca-Cola System in Greece (Coca-Cola HBC and Coca-Cola Hellas) under the auspices of UNEP/MAP. ‘Your Plastic Sea’ was designed by artists Michela Pelusio and Rose-Mari Torpo, within the ‘Join In and Clean Up’ campaign, with funds from OCEAN2012, and in collaboration with the Heraklion Municipality and Prefecture Primary Education Office.
Graham Hodgetts Photography
• The Small Garbage educational campaign focuses on small litter items, especially plastics and cigarette butts (1996-to date). Information is disseminated internationally to schools and the general public and via beach cleanups in Greece. Data recorded during cleanups in Kefalonia and Zakynthos islands in 2003 showed plastic was the most common item found. • The Join In & Clean Up campaign (2011-to date) has motivated more than 12,000 volunteers who cleaned up 63.7 km of coastline in 43 beach cleanups in 19 locations in Greece [4]. These citizen-scientists recorded 230,555 items (18.5t). In total, more than 40,000 people have been informed via campaign material.
Photo:A.Vlachoutsikou
Solutions
Using the sea turtle as a flagship species, MEDASSET has campaigned about the effects of litter in the marine environment since 1996.
To tackle the root of the problem • set and achieve ambitious reduction targets • invest in waste management • shift production and consumption patterns, through policy, incentives, innovation and education • reduce packaging, phase out and ban single use items such as lightweight plastic bags
REFERENCES 1. Venizelos, L., Smith, M. 1997. The impact of small garbage on the marine environment with emphasis on the Mediterranean marine turtle population. BCG Testudo 4 (4), 41–48. 2. White, M., Boura, L. & Venizelos, L. 2013. Population Structure for Sea Turtles at Drini Bay: An Important Nearshore Foraging and Developmental Habitat in Albania. Chelonian Conservation and Biology: December 2013, Vol. 12, No. 2, pp. 283-292. 3. White, M., Haxhiu, I., Kararaj, E., Përkeqi, D., Petri, L., Saçdanaku, E., Boura, L. & Venizelos, L. 2010. Plastic debris at an important sea turtle foraging ground in Albania. In: In: Blumenthal, J., A. Panagopoulou & A.F. Rees (Comps.). Proceedings of the 30th Annual Symposium on Sea Turtle Biology and Conservation. NOAA Tech Memo NMFS-SEFSC-640. pp. 73-4. 4. Interactive map in: http://www.apostolinero.com/default.asp?static=9