Praia de Itapirubá, Imbituba city, Santa Catarina, presents a beautiful Brazilian landscape of sandy beach and rocky shore, a diversity of coastal and marine species and a welcoming traditional community of artisanal fishermen - perfect setting for an area of aggregation and rest for juveniles from green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas).
Since 2010, Projeto Caminho Marinho has been developing conservation and research activities on sea turtles and artisanal fishing in the region. The results of monitoring artisanal fishing influenced the alteration of fishing gear that contributed to the increase in the abundance of sea turtles at Praia de Itapirubá, where a high fidelity by green turtles is recorded.
To assess the long-term abundance of sea turtles, their interaction with the different fishing arts operating in the region and provide this practical experience, the Volunteer Program was designed. Volunteers will be part of the data collection through fixed-point sighting, monitoring the activity of artisanal fishermen in addition to collaborating with different researches through biometrics, epibionts collection, blood and skin sampling, among others.
