Temporal and Spatial distribution of the Loggerhead Sea Turtle Caretta caretta in the Eastern Adriatic Sea: A seasonal migration pathway?

LAZAR, B; GARCIA BORBOROGLU, P.; TVRTKOVIC, N.; ZIZA, W.

Miami

Congreso; 22nd Annual Symposium on Sea Turtle Biology and Conservation; 2002

NOAA

Two species of sea turtles reproduce in the Meditarranean: the green turtle (Chelonia mydas) and the Loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta), the last on being the only resident species in the Adriatic Sea. The Adriatic was classified as an important overwintering and/or foraging habitat for leggerheads. Bycatch is the main threat to sea turtles in the region. An annual bycatch rate of 2,500 specimens has been estimated for the Eastern Adriatic and additional 3,600 turtles are caugth incidentally in th western Adriatic waters.We provide information on intercation between marine turtles and differnet fishing gears and we present different analyses of distribution patterns related to environmental conditions.