“Success is no accident. It is hard work, preserverence, learning and studying, sacrifice and most of all, love of what you are doing.”
Unknown author

Here you can see the progress of our work, what have we achieved and what is yet to come.

ACHIEVED RESULTS

FIELDWORK RESEARCH

• Yelkouan Shearwater’s nesting sites mapped
• Cameras (photo-traps) installed for the purpose of determinig the presence of ship rats on the chosen locations
• Ship rat population control began on the chosen islands
• All nests marked on Zaklopatica island to determine the nesting success
• Cameras installed (photo-traps) near Audouin’s Gulls’ nests
• BL Malta and dr. Karen Varnham participated in fieldwork on Lastovo

MEETINGS AND EVENTS

• “Night of Albatross” event
• Exhibition “Future for Seabirds” opened on Lastovo
• Beach clean-up on Lastovo
• Workshop for kids held on Lastovo
• First official meeting of Steering Commitee held in Zagreb  
• First meeting with the Monitor and Project Coordination Board
• Project LIFE Artina presented at LIFE Conference
• Project Kick-off event held on Lastovo

PUBLICATIONS

• Poster and magnets about the marine litter problem made
• 3D seabird models (Audouin’s gull, Scopoli’s shearwater, Yelkouan shearwater)
• Leaflets about the project (Croatian version, English version)

OTHER

• Leaflets for visitors (Croatian version, English version)
• Poster about target species set on a ferry
• Project promo materials available
• Info boards about the project set up on Lastovo
• Project Communication plan developed

EXPECTED RESULTS

• A complete estimate of the sea population of the Yelkouan Shearwater, Audouin’s Gull and Scopoli’s Shearwater, identifying important areas for feeding and resting on the sea.
• Estimation of the presence and level of terrestrial and marine threats to seabird populations (predators, competition with other species, marine litter, disturbance by visitors, by catch in fishing gear etc.).
• Individual tracking of 40 Scopoli’s Shearwater, 40 Yelkouan Shearwater and 15 Audoin’s Gull using remote sensing (data loggers, UHF radio transmitters and satellite transmitters).
• Proclamation of marine SPAs based on data obtained and submitted to competent institutions.
• Improvement of Management Plan for Nature Park Lastovo Islands/SPA Lastovsko otočje with a specific framework for monitoring of marine birds.
• Monitoring of the relevant fishery fleet (at least 10%) operating in the project area to estimate the level of bycatch.
• Mitigation methods implemented by at least 10% of relevant fishing fleets.
• Publication and distribution of good practice guidelines for marine birds, with emphasis on rules of behavior when encountering marine birds for tourists, tourist boat owners and fishermen.
• Control of Yellow-legged Gull population at two locations where they overlap with the Audouin’s Gull population.
• Eradication of ship rats on remote islets where seabirds nest in the Nature Park Lastovo Islands/SPA Lastovsko otočje.
• Black rat population controlled on the islets located near the inhabited places in Nature Park Lastovo Islands/SPA Lastovsko otočje.
• Organized Conference on conservation of marine birds in the Mediterranean, the designation of the marine areas of the Natura 2000 ecological network and cross-border cooperation.
• Developed birdwatching offer for visitors of Nature Park Lastovo Islands/SPA Lastovsko otočje.
• Developed and installed educational-interpretation path on seabirds in the Nature Park Lastovo Islands/SPA Lastovsko otočje.
• Developed and implemented educational programme on seabirds for the children on the islands Vis, Lastovo, Korčula.
• Developed and implemented a series of seabird awareness rising public events on Vis and Lastovo (exhibition on seabirds, night of Albatros, coastal and underwater cleaning actions).