Plastic waste was found in the stomachs of all sea turtles. One of them carried no less than 12,000 plastic items in his stomach

Alon Zasek, CEO of the Israel Seas and Lakes Research Company: "This comprehensive survey, the first of its kind in Israel that uses advanced research tools, clearly shows the need to stop using disposable tools to preserve the sea and its biodiversity."

A green plastic sea turtle: The Ministry of Environmental Protection, in collaboration with the Nature and Parks Authority and the Seas and Lakes Research Institute, is publishing a first comprehensive report of its kind on the impact of marine waste in the Eastern Mediterranean on sea turtles that were released to Israel. The report was prepared with the funding of the Ministry of Environmental Protection's "Clean Shore" program and was carried out by Shir Sasson and Dr. Yaniv Levy from the National Center for the Rescue of Sea Turtles of the Nature and Parks Authority and Dr. Yael Segal from the Israel Seas and Lakes Research Institute. The report was professionally accompanied by Dr. Tsurel, Scientific Center for Monitoring and Sea Center, the national unit for the protection of the marine environment of the Ministry of Environmental Protection.
The research made use of data collected over 22 years (1999-2021) at the National Sea Turtle Rescue Center of the Nature and Parks Authority, as well as a one-year pilot in monitoring waste in the stomachs of dead sea turtles that washed up on the shores of Israel, which was done in collaboration between the National Sea Turtle Rescue Center and the Marine Research Institute and lakes to Israel. The report presents alarming findings and confirms the fear of the negative impact of marine waste in general and plastic waste in particular, on marine habitats and the sea turtle population.
main findings:

  * Between the years 1999-2021, 524 turtles damaged by marine debris were recorded in the rescue center's database. About 80% of them (426 individuals) were injured by entanglement in fishing equipment or other terrestrial waste source and the rest (98 individuals) suffered damage to the digestive system.

  * Plastic waste was found in the stomachs of 100% of the sea turtles tested regardless of the species (brown or green sea turtle), sex (male or female) or size of the turtle.

  * A clear multi-year upward trend was found in the number of cases of young sea turtles entangled in polypropylene bags used to store food for animals in the meat industry, reaching up to half of the cases treated at the rescue center.

  * The mortality rate for turtles entangled in bags is 11%. In addition, about a quarter of the survivors (24%) lose limbs as a result of entanglement in the untied bag wires. They are released back into the wild after rehabilitation, but amputations reduce survival rates in the wild and will likely affect their ability to reproduce if they reach sexual maturity.

  * 47% of the waste damage is from fishing waste. Ghost nets, fishing lines and hooks were found both as a cause of entanglement and in the stomachs of the turtles.

  * The extent of the vulnerabilities associated with waste digestion is probably higher than what we know. The causes of death of turtles washed ashore dead are varied, and usually cannot be determined without an autopsy. Autopsies on hatched turtles began only about a year ago.

  * Several cases of clogging of the digestive system by plastic waste have been observed, which suggests waste digestion as a direct cause of turtle mortality.

  * 18,380 pieces of waste were isolated from the stomachs of 21 sea turtles. One single green turtle carried about 12,000 of them in its stomach.

  * Most of the plastic found in the stomachs was colorless or white, colors that give the plastic particles an appearance similar to the natural food of the turtles floating in the water column.

  * In 15% of the turtles, in addition to particles of bags and fishing equipment, also plastic pellets used in the cosmetics and cleaning materials industry were found.

  * Of the few sightings of loggerhead sea turtles off the coast of Israel, 6 of the deaths (21%) were apparently directly caused by plastic, half of them from fishing waste and half from waste digestion.

More litter than sand on the beaches

The purpose of the "Clean Beach" program of the national unit for the protection of the marine environment of the Ministry of Environmental Protection, which has been operating since 2005, is to minimize the hazard of marine waste in Israel and to clean the beaches and the sea in accordance with the international commitment, for the benefit of the environment and the public in Israel. In order to achieve this goal, the program operates in six central axes, which are interwoven, with the leading principle being a change of consciousness to the importance of the sea and beaches and strengthening the public's taking personal responsibility and the responsibility of the coastal authorities for cleaning the open beach

According to various estimates, 8 million tons of plastic are thrown into the sea every year, and in Israel it was found that up to 90% of the marine waste is plastic which is almost non-biodegradable. This finding is higher than the global data and data in the rest of the Mediterranean Sea. At least 58% of the waste in the sea and on the beaches is land-based, that is, it originates from the public on the beaches, and 32% of the waste on the beaches consists of packaging and utensils made of plastic.

It is estimated that Israel generates about one million tons of plastic waste each year, about 110 kg of plastic waste per person per year. Disposable utensils make up 6% of the plastic waste in Israel, about 60 thousand tons.

The Ministry of Environmental Protection supports the coastal authorities in their area of ​​beaches that are not declared suitable for bathing in order to carry out cleaning operations on these beaches and to reduce the source of marine waste and the use of reusable utensils.

The office will continue to work to remove waste from the seabed, both by contractors and by volunteers, with the help of collaborations with the Israel Diving Association and the Nature and Parks Authority. Also, in the course of this, the office recently launched an awareness campaign for the general public, in cooperation with the Ecotion association.

The Ministry of Environmental Protection calls on the public to refrain from bringing plastic waste to the beaches, in order to keep our beaches clean.

Minister of Environmental Protection, Tamar Zandberg: "The ministry is leading a process of weaning Israel from single-use plastic, a long-term process that will lead to a cleaner and safer environment for animals. The use of single-use plastic produces quantities of waste in the public space, on the beaches and in the sea itself. The findings, the documents and the photos From the study, they are sleeping and are further proof that the impact of plastic waste in the sea on sea turtles is significant and unbearable A national asset that must be protected and the creatures that live in it in the best possible way, when it is free from waste and human hazards"

Director General of the Nature and Parks Authority, Raya Shurki: "The comprehensive report is another warning light for the danger of extinction that threatens sea turtles due to human activity and actions. Every year, through the inspectors, the people of the Nature and Parks Authority's Sea Turtle Rescue Center and many volunteers who help us, we are exposed to the enormous and painful damage caused by marine debris to sea turtles, mainly from plastic materials, which often leads to the amputation of their limbs and even their death. We have a moral and legal obligation to act all together, the Nature and Parks Authority as a believer in the protection of wildlife, the relevant government bodies and the entire public to protect the sea turtle population. This is, among other things, through increasing the safe living areas for the animals in the marine and coastal environment by declaring marine and coastal nature reserves, closer supervision and enforcement of sea users including vessels and marine transport, raising awareness of sea turtles among the general public, allocating the necessary resources for the treatment and protection of their population, and of course Reducing the use of single-use plastic in the coastal environment and in general. This is a national mission for the sake of the turtles, for the sake of nature as a whole and for the sake of man."

The National Center for the Rescue of Sea Turtles

The National Center for the Rescue of Sea Turtles of the Nature and Parks Authority, Israel's belief in the protection of wildlife, was established in 1999 with the aim of rehabilitating and returning the injured turtles back to nature after treatment, recovery and recovery.

Since its establishment, over 1,300 individuals have been treated at the center, mainly brown and green sea turtles as well as softshell turtles, sea turtles and even dolphins. About 70% of the sea turtles were released back to the sea after treatment and rehabilitation.

Along with the treatment and rehabilitation of injured sea turtles, the National Center for the Rescue of Sea Turtles works in other ways to preserve and stabilize the sea turtle population, among them: daily beach surveys during the breeding season to locate and copy (if necessary) the sea turtle nests to protected hatchery farms in coastal reserves and national parks, physical protection of the laid eggs On the beaches and the hatchlings that hatch on the way to the sea, the restoration of the green sea turtle population through the cultivation and maintenance of a breeding nucleus of this species. In addition, the Sea Turtle Rescue Center also conducts surveys and research in the field, educational and outreach activities, among other things, through media channels and guided tours for the public in order to raise awareness among the general public about the fascinating world of sea turtles and the importance of preserving them. The Sea Turtle Rescue Center of the Nature and Parks Authority is assisted by dozens of inspectors and employees of the Nature and Parks Authority throughout the marine and coastal environment as well as hundreds of volunteers every year who work together with it for the protection of sea turtles in Israel.

These diverse and extensive activities to save the sea turtles have made the National Sea Turtle Rescue Center a household name in the world and one of the most professional in its field. This is, among other things, also in light of special treatment methods for sea turtles developed by the center and the authority over the years.

If you come across a damaged or injured sea turtle in the coastal and marine environment, you should report it as soon as possible to the Nature and Parks Authority hotline, which is active 24/7 at the number *3639, in order to transport it safely to treatment. If the turtle is entangled in plastic waste, it should not be removed by yourself, but only by inspectors and employees of the Center for the Rescue of Sea Turtles of the Nature and Parks Authority who are authorized for this!