Assessing the use of marine protected areas by loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) tracked from the western Mediterranean

• DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2022.e02196
• Publication Date: 2022-06-18T02:28:36Z
• Authors: Sara Abalo-Morla; Eduardo J. Belda; David March; Ohiana Revuelta; Luis Cardona; Silvia Giralt; Jose Luis Crespo-...; Sandra Hochscheid; Adolfo Marco; Manuel Merchán; Ricardo Sagarminaga; Yonat Swimmer; Jesús Tomás
• Keywords: Marine protected area; Sea turtle; Mediterranean Basin

Up to date 264 Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) have been declared in the western Mediterranean Sea. The management plans of 25 these MPAs include loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) as a priority species protect. However, actual use by remains unknown. Therefore, it is important assess their contribution conservation area. To this end, satellite tracking data 103 turtles varying sizes and life stages released Spanish waters Southern Tyrrhenian Sea over 2003–2018 period were herein used. Home range tracked analysed using post-processed state-space model locations. visited several MPAs, but barely used them (mean percentage monitoring time = 12.6 ± 18.2 %). There was very little overlap between turtle's core areas tracks with protected areas. Indeed, most high-density estimated (>85 %) not included within any MPAs. Furthermore, less than 5 % turtles. Most no protection measures that focus on species. Loggerheads mainly wide oceanic zones international waters, which are difficult A high-use area identified for turtles, located at Algerian Basin, an fishing outside designated MPA marine conservation. We conclude existing may contribute enough propose potential designations be considered Alboran Sea, basin, Northern Strait Sicily, Northeast Tunisian around Malta, Ionian