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Sandra Hochscheid is a Senior Researcher at Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn and Head of the Marine Turtle Research Group. She is an internationally recognised expert in marine turtle ecology, physiology, behaviour, movement ecology, and conservation.

Her research combines field ecology, satellite telemetry, population assessment, rescue and rehabilitation activities, and conservation management, with a particular focus on Mediterranean populations of Caretta caretta.

 She has coordinated and participated in numerous European and international projects and has contributed extensively to scientific advisory activities supporting marine biodiversity conservation. She is a member of the IUCN SSC Marine Turtle Specialist Group (MTSG) and vice-chair for the Mediterranean region.

Within LIFE OASIS, she provides scientific leadership on marine turtle ecology and conservation, contributing to sea turtle rescue activities, standardization of procedures and data management, stakeholder involvement and at-sea research on the oasis effect of FADs.

She will support the integration of scientific evidence into adaptive conservation planning and the development of management recommendations aimed at reducing the impacts of marine litter on marine megafauna.

About two months ago, during the LIFE OASIS survey campaign in July off the coast of Mallorca, our team found Lorenzo, an injured sea turtle in need of help.

Lorenzo was taken to Fundación Palma Aquarium, where the veterinary team provided the care needed for recovery. During treatment, they also discovered plastic inside Lorenzo’s body, a reminder of the threats marine litter poses to sea turtles.

Two days ago, Lorenzo was finally released back into the Mediterranean!

Palma Aquarium Foundation’s response to marine wildlife strandings is carried out under the authorization of the Spanish Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge (MITECO) and the Species Protection Service of the Government of the Balearic Islands, as part of the project for the conservation and protection of threatened marine species (sea turtles, cetaceans and elasmobranchs) in the Balearic Islands.

Meet Antonio Marquez and Julio Junquera from Azul Media, the audiovisual team behind the LIFE OASIS documentary.

They’ll be capturing the people, traditions, fieldwork and solutions that shape the LIFE OASIS story, following the project across the Mediterranean.

We’ll be sharing some behind-the-scenes moments and first glimpses of their work soon. Stay tuned!

Ivan is a Marine Biologist with a PhD in Model Organism Research for Biomedical Applications from the University of Naples Federico II, in collaboration with the Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn (SZN) in Naples, Italy. Applying an Evo-Devo framework to both established and emerging model systems, he has developed extensive experience in molecular biology and gene expression analysis. His technical repertoire spans targeted techniques — such as in situ hybridization, immunohistochemistry, and RT-qPCR— as well as high-throughput -omics applications, including RNA-sequencing, metabarcoding, and environmental DNA (eDNA), using both manual and automated liquid-handling technologies.

Currently working as a Research Assistant at the Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Ivan is actively involved in field sampling protocols for anchored Fish Aggregating Device (aFAD) research. His work within the framework of the LIFE OASIS project in the Marine Protected Area (MPA) Isole di Ventotene e Santo Stefano (central Tyrrhenian Sea, Italy) encompasses eDNA collection, epibiont profiling, photo-identification, acoustic recording, and aerial drone monitoring.

Marta is a physical oceanographer and postdoctoral researcher at the Mediterranean Institute for Advanced Studies (IMEDEA, UIB-CSIC). She holds a PhD in Oceanography and Global Change from the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, where her research focused on ocean circulation, transport processes, and marine connectivity in the Southern Ocean.

Her current work within LIFE OASIS applies oceanographic modelling, Lagrangian techniques, and connectivity analyses to investigate the transport and dispersal of abandoned, lost, or otherwise discarded fishing gear (ALDFG) in the Mediterranean Sea and assess the associated risks to protected marine species.

She is passionate about understanding how ocean dynamics shape marine ecosystems and using ocean science to support conservation and management actions.

It’s been a busy week, with the team carrying out a marine survey, taking part in eDNA sampling training, retrieving abandoned, lost or discarded fishing gear (ALDFG), attending two sea turtle releases in Gozo, and working alongside fishers to attach GPS trackers to their boats.

These activities help us better understand the FAD fishery and the marine environment, so that we can develop practical conservation solutions alongside the people who know the sea best.