News

Thanks for coming

Dear friends,

After the Conference is over let me just say thank you all for coming and making this conference successful. Obviously, we have excellent recruitment of new generation doing some really cool work on sea turtle biology and conservation in the Mediterranean. From our perspective, all the work invested in the organization has totally paid off, and we are glad to see that this conference was what we wanted it to be: the reunion of old friends with the new generation of sea turtle researchers and conservationists,

Thank you all for making this happen!

On behalf of the organizers,

Bojan

It’s time to migrate to Porec…

Dear all,

It is time to pack your things and start migrating towards Poreč: our conference is about to start!

So, a few last minute announcements and reminders:

Updated conference program is out and available in the Program & Events section of the web. Don’t forget to check session and timing of your presentations and poster ID code, in case you are presenting a poster.

When packing, remember to put in your luggage some cool turtle-related items to donate to the silent auction, so you could help us raising additional money for Travel Grants and Student Awards.

Additional hint regarding packing: the weather forecast for the next week is just great! A lot of sun with daily temperatures up to 20 °C. However, the night temperatures may drop to 10 °C. So, don’t forget to take some warm cloths too.

We invite you all to a welcome cocktail, a social mixer which will take place on Monday the 15th in the lobby of Valamar Diamant Hotel, starting at 20:00 h. The welcome cocktail is a perfect opportunity for all of us to meet before the official start of the conference and to catch up, or to meet new colleagues and friends. So, if you are coming to Porec on Monday, do not miss the welcome cocktail party!

Actually, we prepared some interesting social events, so another packing hint: pack your dancing shoes too! More info on socials is available in the Program & Events section of the web.

We wish you safe trip and looking forward to meet you in Porec!

Yours,
Organizing Committee

Final Program of the Conference

Dear all,

Updated program of the 6th Mediterranean Conference on Marine Turtles is ready and available for download at the Program & Events section of the web.

It contains precise schedule of oral presentations, hence all presenting authors should check timing of their presentations.

The program also contains updated poster ID numbers, so we kindly ask all poster presenters too check ID of their posters that link each poster to a panel where you will display it.

Looking forward to see you all in Porec soon!
Yours,
Organizing Committee

Instructions for oral presenters

As the conference is rapidly approaching, here are some important information for oral presenters:

Oral presentations are limited to maximum 15 minutes: 10-12 minutes for presentation and 3-5 minutes for questions. Because the schedule is very busy, the session chairs will be strict with the timing.

Available software for presentations are Microsoft Office PowerPoint (MS Office, version 365) and Prezi. Presentations should be prepared in 4:3 aspect ratio.

Presentations will be uploaded to the on-site computer before the start of the session, including a copy of all photos and videos used in the presentation. Presenters should hand out their files to session chairs in the Magnolia Conference Hall, at least 20 minutes before start of the session

More detailed instructions are available at the Conference website.

Looking forward to see you in Porec!

Yours,
Organizing Committee

Plenary speakers

A week before the Conference it is our pleasure and honor to reveal our two plenary speakers: Dr. Larry B. Crowder and Dr. Caterina M. Fortuna.

Dr. Crowder is Provostial Professor of Marine Biology and Conservation at Hopkins Marine Station of the Stanford University and Senior Fellow at Stanford Woods Institute of the Environment. He is among the leading authorities in the field of marine conservation and one of the icons of sea turtle research and conservation.

Dr. Fortuna is a senior researcher at the Italian National Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), chair of the Scientific Committee of the International Whaling Commission, and one of the leading experts in the field of cetacean research, with 25 years of work experience in research and conservation management of large marine vertebrates

Our both plenary speakers have impressive background in the interdisciplinary approaches to marine conservation, with expertise in integrative conservation management across different marine taxa.

More info on our plenary speakers is available at the Program & Events section of web.

Call for the president & host of the 7th Conference

Dear friend and colleagues,

In agreement with the secretariats of conventions supporting organization of Mediterranean Marine Turtle Conferences and IUCN/SSC Marine Turtle Specialist Group, we are opening a call for the president and host of the next, 7th Mediterranean Conference on Marine Turtles in 2021.

Details on the call, including instructions for proposal submission are available here.

Applications containing all requested information should be sent by e-mail to medturtleconf2018@famnit.upr.si.

The application deadline is October 17th 2018, 12:00 h, CET.

The next president will be elected through secret ballot voting by all registered participants of the 6th Conference, on October 18th. The election process will be supervised by the conference Steering Committee. The president and host of the next, 7th conference will be officially announced at the banquet dinner on the same day, and through the MedTurtle list server.

We encourage all of you interested in organizing this important event to submit your proposals within the above deadline.

On behalf of the organizers & supporters of the 6th Mediterranean Conference on Marine Turtle,

Bojan Lazar

Silen auction reminder

Dear friends, colleagues and participants,

As the beginning of the conference approaches I would like to remind you about special event that will take place in Poreč, for the first time – a “Silent Auction”.

So, while organizing your trip remember to put in your luggage some amazing turtle related items to donate to the auction and help us raising money for Travel Grants and Student Awards.

See you there!

Marina Zucchini
Silent Auction Coordinator

Croatian Natural History Museum: A new supporting institution to the conference

Dear friends,

It is my pleasure to present a new institution which joined the supporters of the 6^th Mediterranean Conference on Marine Turtles: the Croatian Natural History Museum.

Founded in 1848, the Croatian Natural History Museum is one of the largest museums in Croatia. Beside activities in the field of culture and education, the Museum carries out numerous research projects related to natural history. Actually, the first studies on marine turtles in the Adriatic have been initiated by the Museum 25 years ago. Today, the Croatian Natural History Museum coordinates the LIFE EUROTURTES project and it is actively involved in research and conservation of sea turtles in the Adriatic Sea.

Since 1992, the Museum also publishes an international scientific journal “Natura Croatica”, with Q3 ranking in the field of Ecology, Evolution, Behaviour and Systematics. The Museum offered to publish full, peer-reviewed papers from the Conference in a special issue of the Natura Croatica.

Therefore, all participating authors at the Conference are invited to submit full papers for publishing in Natura Croatica until March the 1^st, 2019. Instructions for authors and submission instructions are available here.

Bojan Lazar
President of the 6^th Mediterranean Conference on Marine Turtles

Bio-logging workshop: update

The Bio-logging Workshop will take place on Tuesday, October 16^th in the main conference room (Magnolia Hall) from 14:30 to 16:30h. For this edition of the workshop a number of experts have been invited who will share their experience with you and introduce you to the following 4 topics:

1. Overview on Bio-logging studies on marine turtles in the Mediterranean – Sandra Hochscheid, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Italy
2. Ethical implications and impact of attaching devices on marine turtles – Robin Snape, University of Exeter, UK
3. BIG DATA – handling, storing, analysing and sharing – Marianna Chimienti, Aarhus University, Denmark
4. Emerging new technologies – Paolo Luschi, University of Pisa, Italy

After each presentation there will be a round table discussions during which bio-logging beginners will have the chance to talk to the experts and those already applying bio-logging techniques can update with current studies and exchange experiences, express concerns and suggest improvements.

Don’t forget,  you need to be registered for the workshop in order to participate. Detailed description of the workshop is available on the Program & Events section of the web. For more info you can contact me directly.

Your workshop organizer,
Sandra Hochscheid (sandra.hochscheid@szn.it)