The Oceanogràfic Foundation and the Santa Pola Marine Museum have signed a formal agreement to cooperate together on marine conservation projects, marine research, environmental teaching in schools, scientific outreach workshops, and attempts to rescue and protect marine creatures.
The Oceanogràfic Foundation has a lot of experience with recovering and protecting marine animals, so it will share its scientific and technical knowledge. The Santa Pola Sea Museum is a leader in promoting maritime and natural heritage, so it will help strengthen educational, awareness-raising, and conservation efforts in the area.
Both organisations agree that this partnership creates new opportunities to strengthen the collaborative network in order to protect Mediterranean biodiversity.
A sea turtle as a sign of working together
The deal was signed at the Santa Pola Sea Museum, when a sea turtle that had been rescued from the Oceanogràfic’s Sea Animal Recovery and Conservation Area (ARCA) was given to the museum. The animal will stay in one of the museum’s renovated buildings to finish building up its muscles before going back to the sea soon.
The turtle was born last year in one of the nests that the Valencian Community keeps track of as part of the Head Starting initiative. She went into the sea after finishing the regulated breeding phase.
But a few months ago, she was unintentionally caught in fishing gear and taken to the ARCA del Mar del Oceanogràfic (CACSA – GVA), where she had veterinary care until she was well enough to move on to the next stage of her recuperation.
The process will end yesterday at Santa Pola, where she will also be an ambassador for her species to raise awareness about the problems sea turtles suffer in the Mediterranean before they go back to the sea.
The arrival of this turtle to the aquarium signals the start of a partnership between the two groups that will have a good and long-lasting effect on protecting the oceans and their wildlife.
The Santa Pola Museum will also run a social media campaign where people can choose the turtle’s name. The goal is to improve the community’s responsibility in protecting marine life and the relationship between people and animals.
An agreement that will have an effect on education and conservation
The ceremony that took place yesterday in Santa Pola was attended by city officials, including as Deputy Mayor José Pedro Martínez, Councillor for the Environment Ángel Piedecausa, and Councillor for Culture Nely Baile. Also there were technicians and biologists from Oceanogràfic and its Foundation.
Leocadia García-Bartual, director of the Oceanogràfic Foundation, said, “The agreement with the Santa Pola Marine Museum is a step forward in the territorial cooperation strategy for marine conservation, combining complementary efforts and experiences.”
Ángel Piedecausa said, “For a seafaring town like Santa Pola that is so deeply rooted in the Mediterranean, being able to work closely with the Oceanogràfic Foundation to protect marine species is a great incentive and strengthens the prestige of our Municipal Aquarium, which is the oldest in the Valencian Community.”
This agreement strengthens the Oceanogràfic Foundation’s and the Santa Pola Marine Museum’s roles as stakeholders in marine conservation in the Valencian Community. It also commits them to a way of working together that includes science, outreach, and citizenship.
Author: Derek Appleton
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