LIFE Artina – „Seabird Conservation Network in the Adriatic“

Project LIFE Artina – „Seabird Conservation Network in the Adriatic“ (LIFE17 NAT/HR/000594) is a five-year project, it started in September 2018. Leading partner is Association BIOM, and along with Association Sunce, partners are Public Institution Nature ˝Lastovsko otočje˝ and BirdLife Malta.

The LIFE Artina Project is designed to address the main problems of the protection of three marine species: the Audouin’s Gull, the Scopoli’s Shearwater and Yelkouan Shearwater. The name Artina is derived from the local dialect of Lastovo’s island for Yelkouan Shearwater which is also the endemic species of the Mediterranean. Since it only nests in the central part of the Adriatic its population is under great pressure. The project area is very important not only for the Yelkouan Shearwater, but for the Audouin’s Gull and Scopoli’s Shearwater as well. Their populations present here make up to 70% and 100% respectively of the total population present in Croatia. The population of Scopoli’s Shearwater and Yelkouan Shearwater is negatively impacted by alien terrestrial invasive species (ship rats) especially during breeding season, while the Audouin’s Gull is in intraspecific competition with the Yellow-legged gull.

PROJECT AREA

The project area includes two sites SPA Lastovsko otočje and SPA Pučinski otoci listed as a special protected area for birds (SPA) within the Natura 2000 ecological network. These areas were chosen for their importance for endangered seabird species, namely the Audouin’s Gull, Yelkouan Shearwater and Scopoli’s Shearwater. Also, they are on important Adriatic migratory route for birds and important areas for other bird species, such as Honey Buzzard (Pernis apivorus), crane (Grus grus) and other. In addition, SPA Lastovsko otočje also harbors a significant national breeding population of other bird species.

PROJECT OBJECTIVES

Overall objective of the LIFE Artina project is to create the preconditions for the designation of new marine conservation areas important for birds (SPA) in Croatia by creating a list of proposed new SPA sites and development of conservation measures for these areas.

Project specific objectives are:

  • Identify marine SPAs at sea in southern part of Croatia for the Audouin’s Gull, the Scopoli’s Shearwater and Yelkouan Shearwater.
  • Understand and assess the main threats affecting seabird populations on land and at sea in the project area and define actions to mitigate them.
  • Eradicate alien terrestrial invasive species (ship rats) that negatively impact on Shearwater breeding colonies and control of Yellow-legged Gulls at breeding colonies of Audouin’s Gulls.

FINANCING

  • Project LIFE Artina – “Seabird Conservation Network in the Adriatic” is co-financed by the LIFE Programme of the European Union under contract number LIFE17 NAT/HR/000594. The project started on September 1, 2018 and will end on August 31, 2023.
  • Total project budget: 1,921,387 EUR
  • EU LIFE Programme financial contribution: 1,152,832 EUR (60.00% of the total project budget)
  • Project co-financing: Office for Cooperation with NGOs, Government of the Republic of Croatia

Project manager: Vida Zrnčić, mag. oecol. et prot. nat.

More about the project you can find on project’s website!

PROJECT PARTNERS

                    

                      

PROJECT IS CO-FINANCED BY

                    

                    

Related news

Two policy briefs for the conservation of seabirds were created (2024)

LIFE Artina cleaning actions: we collected over 600 kilograms of waste from the sea (2024)

How to implement composting in facilities generating a higher volume of cooked food waste? (2023)

LIFE Artina hands on training and presentation of the home composter (2023)

Invitation to the composter presentation (2023)

Cleaning action “It’s not water, it’s more” removed 400 kilograms of marine litter from Pantan beach (2023)

Nature protection and socioeconomic impact of the LIFE Artina project (2023)

The Seabirds Conservation in the Adriatic webinars (2023)

New Protected Areas for Birds in the Adriatic (2023)

Panel discussion on the mariculture impact on the marine environment (2023)

Innovation and cooperation: an recap of the final Life Artina conference (2023)

A panel discussion “Experiences and recommendations for reducing the seabirds bycatch” was held in Split (2022)

How to achieve cooperation between the local community, educational institutions and the civil sector through an educational program? (2022)

What did we listen to in the radio show Together without plastic this year? (2022)

Night of the Albatross for the first time in Komiža (2022)

Eco Life Lastovo action (2022)

Results of marine litter monitoring on the island of Lastovo (2022)

Children’s education as part of the LIFE Artina project (2022)

How to reduce seabird bycatch during fishing activities? (2022)

Sunce organized Stand up “Today we will laugh, tomorrow we will cry” (2022)

Presentation of educational activities – Department of Education and Information (2021)

In Komiža, the project LIFE Artina – Seabird Conservation Network in the Adriatic was presented (2019)

Exhibition „Future for sea birds“ opened (2019)

Project LIFE Artina presented on Lastovo (2019)

Sunce is a part of an EU Life project (2018)