BBVA Foundation granted the project “Oceanographic Turtles: ocean monitoring platforms for conservation and management”
BBVA Foundation has granted the project “Oceanographic Turtles: ocean monitoring platforms for conservation and management”. This project will begin in late September to address the role of operational ecology in the dynamic ocean management, using as a case study an endangered species, the loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) in the western Mediterranean Sea. The project aims to demonstrate how a paradigm shift in ocean observation, based on new observing systems platforms, can contribute to the conservation of endangered species. To do this, and during the 18 months, various electronic monitoring systems (EMS) will be integrated with forecasting platforms and ocean observation infrastructures.
The research team will be led by Dr. David March, postdoctoral researcher (Juan de la Cierva Programme) at the ICTS SOCIB, and will include the participation of other researchers and staff of ICTS SOCIB, the Mediterranean Institute for Advanced Studies (IMEDEA-CSIC), the NGO Alnitak, the Palma Aquarium Foundation, the Species Protection Service of the Government of the Balearic Islands and the Consortium for the Recovery of the Fauna of the Balearic Islands. This project has been one of the five selected in the area of Ecology and Conservation Biology in a highly competitive call, which was attended by a total of 74 research teams. The evaluation committee has been formed by renowned experts, who have applied standards of excellence and objectivity in the selection of applications.
