Protection of Caretta caretta on the Lampedusa Island

Lampedusa island (Sicily Channel, Italy) is a well-known nesting site for Caretta caretta and nesting events have been observed on almost all the sandy beaches of the island. Among these, Conigli beach is one of the first Italian sites where the presence of Caretta caretta was monitored and the regular presence of this species has now been established for over 35 years. Since 1996 the beach has belonged to the Nature Reserve “Isola di Lampedusa”, established by Sicilian Region and managed by Legambiente Sicilia. Furthermore, thebeach also falls within the Special Conservation Area ITA040002 “Islands of Lampedusa and Lampione”, the Special Protection Area ITA040013 “Pelagie Archipelago - marine and terrestrial area”, and the stretch of sea in front of Conigli beach falls in zone A of the Marine Protected Area “Pelagie Islands”.
Caretta caretta conservation actions have always been one of the main objectives of the managing body of the reserve and over the years they have made it possible to increase the protection of the species. Thereby, it is important to collect data on the reproductive biology of Caretta caretta, to improve safeguard measures of nests and newborns, and to check the presence of nests on other Lampedusa beaches.
For many years, Legambiente Sicilia, the managing body of the Lampedusa Island nature reserve, has been monitoring the nesting of sea turtles on the entire territory of the island with the authorization of the Ministry of the Environment.
The activity is carried out from May to October through: 1) morning patrols of the island's beaches (Spiaggia dei Conigli, Portuntoni, Cala Croce, Guitgia, Cala Spugne, Cala Pisana) to detect traces of adult females; 2) location of nests; 3) adoption of measures to protect nests, threatened by anthropic and natural factors; 4) hatching assistance, birth monitoring and scientific data collection.
The activities are carried out according to the Action Plan for the Conservation of Caretta caretta in the Pelagian Islands, the Protocols for the protection of nests and hatching assistance and the Ministerial Guidelines.
Various pressures linked to mass tourism on the beaches outside the Reserve have been ascertained, such as tourist structures active at night, light and noise pollution. In these areas it is therefore necessary to adopt specific protection and regulatory measures, on the model of what was achieved on the Spiaggia dei Conigli by Legambiente Sicilia, the managing body of the nature reserve.
The management of Spiaggia dei Conigli has for years now represented a consolidated model of coexistence between nature conservation, protection of sea turtles and sustainable use.