The 3d MICRO conference which takes place every two years about microdebris, was attended this year by 600 participants. This collaborative process, coordinated by the scientific community to share between colleagues and connect with society, was an opportunity for INDICIT project to present some results of the consortium about ingestion by turtles.
One member of the consortium, Ana Liria Loza, University of Gran Canaria, was member of the MICRO scientific and organization committee, and participated the panel and public discussion which took place after the 25’ talk by invitee Maria Cristina Fossi (Siena University) on the Wednesday Nov. 21st « The Megafauna and microplastics tale: Evidence and future development, ». Ana cited INDICIT as an example of project supporting the monitoring process engaged by Europe in parallel of the measures which aim to maintain or restore the Good Environmental Status of european seas. On the following day, she presented a communication « New methodologies to collect and analyse micro-debris ingested by loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta).
On November 23rd Patricia Ostiategui-Francia, also representing UGC and INDICIT presented another aspect of this work : « Microplastic presence in loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) stranded in Gran Canaria Island». This event was also an opportunity for Ana and Patricia to exchange with a colleague Cinzia Centelleghe who presented the Characterization of microplastics from sea turtles, (Caretta caretta), stranded along the northern adriatic sea, in the perspective of future data sharing.
Posters about INDICIT were also disseminated during the conference:
- Comparison of microplastic content in two marine vertebrates in the Mediterranean Sea: loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) and striped dolphins (Stenella coeruleoalba)
- Occurrence of microplastics ingestion by deep-water catsharks Galeus melastomus and Scyliorhinus canicula (Chondrychtyes) in the Tyrrhenian sea (Western Mediterranean)
- Microplastic marine pollution: European policy needs
