Plastic Free Onlus leads Italian Turtle Day releases in six coastal towns

On 14 June 2024, Plastic Free Onlus coordinated simultaneous releases of nine rescued Caretta caretta sea turtles at six locations along the Italian coast—Genova, Viareggio, Pescara, Castro, Stintino and Lampedusa—in advance of World Sea Turtle Day on 16 June. The event, dubbed Italian Turtle Day, involved local port authorities, volunteer rescue teams, biologists and veterinarians, and featured public outreach sessions at each site.

The organization, active since 2019, has helped rescue over 300 marine turtles and supported the hatching of nearly 11 000 juveniles across Italy. One highlighted release in Lampedusa saw the turtle "Lina," recovered after a risky night‑time rescue, undergo surgery and rehabilitation before being returned to the sea at sunset. Rosapia Reale, vice‑president of Plastic Free Onlus, said, "Seeing a sea turtle return to the ocean is a small victory of care over indifference, reminding us how fragile the marine balance is and how our daily actions matter."

The coordinated releases aim to raise awareness of threats such as plastic ingestion, fishing gear entanglement and habitat degradation, while promoting concrete conservation actions and cooperation among rescue centers, port authorities and local communities.