Pelagic surveys in Sporades and Chalkidiki

Within the framework of the LIFE MareNatura project, pelagic surveys for cetaceans, seabirds, and sea turtles were conducted using a sailing vessel in the area north of the Sporades islands and south-southeast of Chalkidiki, where the North Aegean Trough is located, with depths reaching over 1500 meters. The NCC team carried out the mission from May 11 to May 17, 2024.

During the surveys, acoustic monitoring methods for cetaceans (using a towed hydrophone with Distance sampling) and visual methods for monitoring cetaceans, seabirds, and sea turtles (Distance sampling & ESAS protocol) were applied. Through these methods, observations included Bottlenose Dolphins, Common Dolphins, Striped Dolphins, Loggerhead Turtles, Scopoli’s Shearwaters, and Mediterranean Shags. Notably, Yelkouan Shearwaters also had increased activity heading towards the Dardanelles.