Marine Pollution Bulletin 227 (2026) 119476
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Marine Pollution Bulletin journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/marpolbul
Artificial night lighting in the Mediterranean: Management priorities and constraints for sea turtle conservation Charalampos Dimitriadis a,*, Nikolaos Simantiris b,c, Fulvio Maffucci d, Mustapha Aksissou e, Mouloud Benabdi f, Piero Carlino g , Paolo Casale h , Simon Demetropoulos i , Wayne J. Fuller j , Marc Girondot k, Brendan J. Godley l,m,n , Abdulmaula Hamza o, Imed Jribi p , Yakup Kaska q, Yaniv Levy r,s , Jonathan R. Monsinjon t , Ayse Oruc u, Aliki Panagopoulou v , Vilma Piroli w , ALan F. Rees x , Jesús Tomás y , Oguz Turkozan z, Sandra Hochscheid d, Antonios D. Mazaris aa a
Management Unit of Zakynthos and Ainos National Parks and Protected Areas of Ionian Islands, Natural Environment and Climate Change Agency, 29100, Zakynthos, Greece b MEDASSET (Mediterranean Association to Save the Sea Turtles), 10672, Athens, Greece c Department of Aerospace Science and Technology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 34400, Psachna, Greece d Marine Turtle Research Group, Department of Marine Animal Conservation and Public Engagement, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Napoli, Italy e Laboratory Ecology, Systematics and Biodiversity Conservation (LESCB), URL-CNRST N◦ 18. Faculty of Science, Abdelmalek Essaadi University, Tetouan, Morocco f Applied Zoology and Animal Ecophysiology Laboratory, Faculty of Natural and Life Sciences, University of Bejaia, Algeria g Sea Turtle Research, Rescue and Rehabilitation Center of Salento Natural History Museum, 73021, Calimera, Italy h Dept. of Biology, University of Pisa, Via A. Volta 6, 56126, Pisa, Italy i Mediterranean Turtle Research and Conservation Society (MedTRACS), Paphos, Cyprus j Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Near East University, Nicosia, Cyprus k Laboratoire Ecologie, Societé, Évolution - Université Paris Saclay, CNRS, AgroParisTech, Gif-sur-Yvette, 91190, France l Centre for Ecology and Conservation, Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy, University of Exeter, Penryn, Cornwall, TR10 9FE, UK m College of Marine Science and Aquatic Biology, University of Khorfakkan, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates n Sharjah Marine Sciences Research Centre (SMSRC), University of Khorfakkan, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates o Biology Department, Faculty of Education Tripoli, University of Tripoli, Tripoli, Libya p Faculty of Sciences of Sfax, University of Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia q Pamukkale University, Sea Turtle Research Center (DEKAMER), Denizli, Türkiye r Israel Sea Turtle Rescue Center, National Nature and Parks Authority, Gan Leumi Beit Yannay, Kfar Vitkin, Israel s Department of Marine Biology, Leon H. Charney School of Marine Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, 3498838, Israel t Laboratory of Marine Environmental Sciences (LEMAR), IUEM - Univ Brest, CNRS, IRD, Ifremer, 29280, Plouzané, France u WWF-Türkiye, Asmalı Mescit Mah. İstiklal Cad. No: 136 Kat: 4 Beyoglu, İstanbul, Türkiye v ARCHELON, the Sea Turtle Protection Society of Greece, Solonos 113, 10678 Athens, Greece w University of Shkodra "Luigj Gurakuqi",Albania x Turtles from Above, Plymouth, UK y Marine Zoology Unit, Cavanilles Institute of Biodiversity and Evolutionary biology, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain z Aydın Adnan Menderes University, Faculty of Science, Department of Biology, Aydın, Türkiye aa Department of Ecology, School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124, Thessaloniki, Greece
A R T I C L E I N F O
A B S T R A C T
Keywords: Light pollution Mitigation measures Monitoring Gaps Artificial night light Threats
Artificial light at night (ALAN) is an escalating anthropogenic threat that disrupts coastal and marine ecosystems worldwide, yet its impacts on Mediterranean sea turtles remain poorly quantified. We surveyed 27 experts across 16 Mediterranean countries to evaluate perceived ALAN effects on sea turtle nesting sites and nearshore habitats, identify research gaps, assess monitoring limitations, and prioritize mitigation strategies. Respondents consis tently highlighted hatchlings as the most vulnerable life stage, particularly during sea-finding and early dispersal, with ALAN causing disorientation, increased predation risk, and reduced recruitment. Standardized monitoring of ALAN impacts is largely absent, with financial constraints representing the main barrier, alongside gaps in communication, education, and policy. Experts ranked the highest-priority mitigation measures as updating monitoring programs to incorporate ALAN, reducing light exposure on nesting beaches through shielding,
* Corresponding author. E-mail address: xdimitriadis@marine.aegean.gr (C. Dimitriadis). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2026.119476 Received 19 November 2025; Received in revised form 13 February 2026; Accepted 23 February 2026 Available online 28 February 2026 0025-326X/© 2026 Elsevier Ltd. All rights are reserved, including those for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies.