Sea turtle saved from illegal net off Tuscany

A loggerhead sea turtle was rescued on Friday afternoon off the Tuscan coast after becoming entangled in illegal fishing gear.

The animal, a Caretta caretta, was spotted in distress by the crew of a patrol boat from the naval unit of the Guardia di Finanza in Livorno. The officers were carrying out routine maritime surveillance when they identified the turtle struggling in waters off Chioma, a coastal area in the municipality of Rosignano Marittimo, south of Livorno.

According to the authorities, the turtle had a fishing line tightly wrapped around its neck, making it difficult to breathe. The officers removed the line, secured the animal on board and provided initial care to avoid further trauma.

The operation was coordinated on land with the support of the local Harbour Master’s Office and the National Association for the Protection of Animals and the Environment. The turtle was then transferred to the marine turtle recovery and rehabilitation centre at the Acquario di Livorno, where it will undergo treatment and monitoring before a possible release back into the open sea.

The illegal fishing gear was removed from the water and seized for confiscation.

The loggerhead sea turtle is a protected species in the Mediterranean. Entanglement in fishing equipment and marine litter remains one of the main threats to its survival, particularly along heavily used coastal routes such as those off the Tuscan shoreline.

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