Turtle Excluder Devices Experiments in the Central Adriatic Sea

There are three turtle species in the Mediterranean Sea: the leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea), the green (Chelonia midas) and the loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta). Loggerhead sea turtles are listed as endangered in the Red List of Threatened Species of the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN). In the Mediterranean Sea, they represent the most abundant species of marine turtles. The Central-Northern Adriatic Sea, for its shallow waters (<100 m) and rich benthic communities is considered one of the most important foraging areas in the whole Mediterranean area for the loggerhead turtle population during the demersal phase of their life cycle.