The Regional Director for Sea Affairs accompanied today the release of three loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) that had been recovering at Porto Pim Aquarium in the city of Horta.
 
Filipe Porteiro stressed that these animals were found in a "very poor condition," having been transferred to the tanks of Porto Pim Aquarium, where they were care for, fed and monitored. Now, "they are in perfect conditions to return to their natural habitat."
 
Included under the COSTA project (Consolidating Sea Turtle Conservation in the Azores) and RACA (Network of Washed up Cetaceans of the Azores), this mission was carried out by IMAR-DOP in partnership with the Regional Directorate for Sea Affairs in partnership with the Regional Directorate for Sea Affairs, the Azores Sea Observatory, the Faial Natural Park and the company Flying Sharks.
 
According to the Regional Director, this joint mission is "a good example of cooperation between different partners who share human resources with a common goal."
 
Porto Pim Aquarium is a specialised infrastructure whose main goal is the recovery of fragile marine animals.
 
Sea turtles are reptiles classified as "Endangered Species" and have been protected by the Berne Convention since 1979. Loggerhead sea turtles are an endangered species according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, being a priority within the Natura 2000 network.
 
Loggerhead sea turtles are also one of the species selected to assist in the Assessment of Good Environmental Status of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD).
 
Lost fishing gear and equipment or abandoned may also pose serious threats as well as floating debris, especially plastics.