Mediterranean Association to Save the Sea Turtles

Description

MEDASSET, the Mediterranean Association to Save the Sea Turtles, is an international environmental NGO that protects sea turtles and their habitats across the Mediterranean Sea.

It traces its roots to 1983, was founded in the United Kingdom in 1988 by Lily Venizelos, and was established in Greece in 1993, where it is registered as a not-for-profit organisation. It works as a partner to the United Nations Environment Programme’s Mediterranean Action Plan and as a permanent observer member to the Bern Convention of the Council of Europe. Its mission is to make sea turtles a flagship species for conserving marine and coastal habitats throughout the region.

MEDASSET combines scientific research, environmental education and policy lobbying. It supports research on sea turtle movements, nesting and threats, runs educational programmes for children and adults through school visits and public events, and lobbies policy makers at local, national and international level to strengthen and enforce protective legislation. It also carries out awareness campaigns for the public, works with veterinary and community training projects on sea turtle rehabilitation, and has run projects across Mediterranean countries including Tunisia, Albania and Lebanon.