Friend of the Sea sponsors Venice monk seal conservation project

Friend of the Sea sponsors  Venice monk seal conservation project Friend of the Sea has made an important donation to LIPU (Italian major birds’ conservation organization). The donation will support a project for the protection and conservation of habitats in the Venice Lagoon which hosts monk seal and marine birds. Monk seals are normally found in other areas of the Mediterranean Sea, mainly in Turkey, Greece, and Croatia,  but last summer a specimen unexpectedly appeared in the Lagoon after been sighted on the southernmost point of Istria peninsula. The Mediterranean monk seal used to be widespread throughout the Mediterranean Sea, but in 20th Century it was brought to the brink of extinction by habitat changes and fishermen. The LIPU project aims at assessing monk seal populations and movements in the Northern Adriatic, and how they can be better protected. An awareness campaign is also carried out to locals and tourists. “Friend of the Sea has helped over the years several projects to protect endangered species, such as albatross and boto dolphins in the Amazon river.” Explains Paolo Bray, Director of Friend of the Sea. “The certified products this way carry an added value as they contribute to these conservation projects through Friend of the Sea.” MORE INFORMATION FRIEND OF THE SEA (FOS) is an international certification program for products from sustainable fisheries and aquaculture. Over 350 companies in more than 50 countries have relied on Friend of the Sea to assess the sustainability of their seafood origins. Audit are run by independent certification bodies accredited by national accreditation institutes. Audit are run also on site and they are based on best and most updated available scientific data.   www.friendofthesea.org info@friendofthesea.org Monk Seal in Venice and LIPU To read this release on line, click here