Submon, together with the rescue centre of Lampedusa-WWF Italy, the Marine Educational Cente at the Aquarium of Pula (Croatia) and the Sea Turtle Rescue Centre of Dekamer (Turkey) have started a 2-year project to develop an international network of collaboration between Mediterranean countries focused on sea turtle medicine and conservation.

This project, funded by the “Leonardo da Vinci Partnerships” action of the Lifelong Learning Programme of the European Commission, will ensure the organization of at least four technical workshops by the four participating partners. Each institution will organize one meeting in its facilities on a specific topic, giving all partners the opportunity to exchange and practice medical techniques and methodologies, as well as to improve their knowledge on care and rehabilitation of sea turtles on each topic. It will be also an occasion to strengthen international cooperation on environmental education between Mediterranean countries.

The first workshop will take place in November at the rescue centre of Lampedusa, host of previous Mediterranean sea turtle veterinarian meetings in 2009 and 2010. The main topic will be medical care of longline accidentally captured turtles, and attendants will learn the main problems related to this issue, as well as how to diagnose and treat different cases. Guided by Professor A. di Bello, from the Veterinary School of the University of Bari, attendants will also have the opportunity to see surgeries for hook and line extractions.

Experts and new staff of other sea turtle rescue centres around the Mediterranean Sea are very welcome to take part in these meetings, to improve the exchange of information and the discussions generated.