The 26th Annual International Sea Turtle Symposium in Crete:
A Success!

Crete: On April 2-8th, the Hotel Capsis in Heraklion, Crete was besieged by 700 participants of the 26th Annual International Symposium on Sea Turtle Conservation and Biology from 76 countries around the globe. Marine turtle specialists, NGOs, students, volunteers, ecologists, together with Government representatives and members of the local Government, all journeyed to Crete to talk turtles. For the first time the Symposium was held in Europe, and in particular Greece! Dimitris Margaritoulis, who was President of the Symposium and ARCHELON the Sea Turtle Protection Society, organized the Symposium and everything ran smoothly.

Council Members busy at vendors' table

MEDASSET participated in the Symposium with a team of researchers and scientists from Greece, England, Lebanon, Italy and Egypt with 2 posters and 6 oral paper presentations (links below). The presentations covered work from sea turtle projects in Albania, Lebanon and Turkey to our projects on Trionyx triunguis, the Nile soft-shelled fresh water turtle. We are very thankful to all our team for their collaboration and our MEDASSET Greece Council members for helping with the vendors' table.

From left: Theodore Benos-Palmer ARCHELON, Demetres Karavellas WWF Greece and Lily Venizelos, MEDASSET.

During the Symposium the 5th Reunion of Mediterranean Sea Turtle specialists was arranged. Each Mediterranean country prepared a synopsis on relevant National sea turtle issues. Monica Aurregi, our Italian collaborator presented our sea turtle fieldwork and conservation project in Lebanon. A joint press conference was held by MEDASSET, ARCHELON and WWF Greece to discuss Greece's commitments and obligations to the Zakynthos National Marine Park (ZNMP) in relation to the European Court of Justice ruling, with Government representatives in attendance. A resolution, later signed at the Symposium, was decided upon, urging the Greek Government to ensure that their responsibilities are fulfilled and proper operations at the Park are re-established.

MEDASSET invited Richard Brock, former BBC Wildlife producer to attend the Symposium and Mediterranean meeting. Throughout his time in Crete he captured footage for the production of a documentary on the Symposium and the situation in Zakynthos to use for lobbying the Greek Government and other involved National and International bodies.

To welcome the participants of the Symposium in Europe and Crete MEDASSET offered everyone a packet of Greek fruit and nuts in special casing featuring the story of Europe in Ancient Greek mythology. For the Symposium Fund-raising Auctions, to assist students, scientists and NGOs with their travel expenses to attend, we offered an interesting selection of traditional Cretan products, turtle ornaments and a magnificent 'Wedding Bread' from Anogia, a village in the Cretan mountains, intricately decorated with sea turtles.

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