NETwork for the Conservation of CEtaceans and Sea Turtles in the Adriatic Sea
The Adriatic Sea hosts several species of cetaceans and sea turtles and is considered a key foraging and development area for young sea turtles. Unfortunately cetaceans and sea turtles are vulnerable to interactions with human activities especially related to fisheries and coastal tourism (e.g. impacts with recreational boats).
The general aim of this Cross-border Cooperation Programme is strengthening sustainable development capabilities of the Adriatic region through a concerted strategy of action among the partners of the eligible territories.
The main objective of the NETCET project is to develop common strategies for the conservation of cetaceans and sea turtles in the Adriatic through regional cooperation (pan-Adriatic cooperation). Due to the migratory nature of these species and the joint responsibility of Adriatic states, collaboration is essential to planning effective long-term conservation strategies. Marine biodiversity conservation problems and more specifically cetaceans and sea turtles conservation issues are common to all countries across the Adriatic but experience across regions in this field varies and there is thus much to be gained by bringing together best practice and experience with the aim of defining a common conservation framework and tools/measures for the conservation of endangered marine species, making these tools readily available to other regions towards the end of the project.
For these reasons the NETCET project, coordinated by the City of Venice, is managed by 13 partners situated in several Countries of the Adriatic Basin: Italy, Croatia, Albania, Montenegro and Slovenia.
The NETCET project is financed by the IPA Adriatic CBC Programme and more specifically within the Priority 2 “Natural and Cultural Resources and Risk Prevention”.
The NETCET project runs from October 2012 to September 2015.