Bio-diversity

The GEF/SGP has been supporting projects focused on sea turtle presence in Albania since 2002. Over the years, projects supported have evolved from simple fact finding to more scientific complex. Our strategy from the beginning has been that of collecting enough data showing that Albania was hosting an important population of sea turtles and subsequently involving international organizations in the activities. The first of this kind was the Rapid Assessment Survey of important Marine Turtle and Monk Seal habitats in the coastal area of Albania 2005 was carried out in October November 2005 by the Mediterranean Association to Save the Sea Turtles (MEDASSET), with the financial support of UNEP/MAP Regional Activity Centre for Specially Protected Areas (RAC/SPA); MEDASSET; and the Global Environment Facility s Small Grant Programme (GEF/SGP). The Rapid Assessment Survey of Albania s coastal waters indicated that a large number of loggerhead turtles Caretta caretta forage in the northernmost bay, at Patok. The 2005 assessment proved the need for a more thorough evaluation of the importance of the marine area as a sea turtle foraging ground. This Rapid Assessment laid the groundwork for developing the current three-year Project: Monitoring and Conservation of Important Sea Turtle Feeding Grounds in the Patok Area of Albania. The jointly financed project during the last year yielded 103 turtles, which were tagged and released. Ten remigrants had been tagged previously at Patok suggesting that Albania may form part of their migratory route. The main recommendation upon closure of the 2008 project is that Gjiri i Drinit should be legally recognised as a nationally and regionally important foraging habitat for seaturtles and that these endangered migratory species are fully protected under Albanian national law. The significance of the findings of the 2008 project has reassured the need to continue the project in 2009 and 2010.

Albania