Young reporters
for the environment

13  November 2018

Nature Trust – FEE Malta released three logger head turtles at Gnejna Bay as part of its campaign to raise awareness on the problems caused by single use plastics and micro-plastics in our seas.

Together with The HSBC Malta Foundation an educational event was organised on one of Malta’s stunning coastal sites, Gnejna Bay.  The turtles were released in the presence of 130 students who are presently participating in the Young Reporters for the Environment (YRE) – Litter Less campaign, run by FEE and represented locally by Nature Trust FEE Malta.

During the event the three turtles Gabriel, Victoria and Stef were released after being taken care of by Volunteers of Nature Trust Wildlife Rescue section at San Lucjan Centre.  Most of these suffered plastic or marine debris ingestion with Stef being found entangled in a net of which she had also ingested part.  This had to be removed under surgery by the Wildlife Rescue Vet Dr A Grupetta.

The event included a clean-up, sand sifting with strainers to recuperate small waste, and several educational workshops for students ranging from information on the effects of litter on marine life to the invaluable work done by the rescue team. YRE students were also engaged in a photography session to send strong messages to the public on how and why we should reduce litter.  Workshops were manned by Wildlife Rescue Team, MTA, WasteServ, AFM, ERA and Zibel amongst others.

Through this event the NGO wanted to raise awareness on the harm done by plastics in our marine ecology.  Such debris is also today ending up affecting human health.

The students were able to understand the enormity of the problem and what each had to do to mitigate the problem.

Nature Trust FEE Malta will be ongoing with this campaign throughout 2019 through its educational and conservation campaigns where it will also coordinate with other Blue Flag operators around the Mediterranean and Black sea regional cleanup campaign during July 2019.

Nature Trust Malta thanks the Armed Forces of Malta. The Malta Aquaculture Research Centre, the MTA, ERA, Dr A Grupetta, fishermen, NTM staff, schools and members of the public for their ongoing support.