What do divers and turtles have in common? Decompression sickness.

When caught in the nets of fishermen, turtles are at risk of dying due to an overly quick ascent to the surface.

So, the Fondation Oceanográfic, based at Europe’s largest aquarium L’Oceanogràfic in Valencia, Spain, has developed a system for taking these turtles in and treating them after these fishing accidents.

For some years, Spain has seen an influx of loggerhead turtles along its shores. With rising temperatures in the Mediterranean, the nesting area for these creatures has gradually shifted across from Greece and Turkey to Spain.

With the resulting increase in turtles in Spanish waters, the fishermen are finding an increasing number of these creatures in their nets. Indeed, the turtles surface too quickly and end up suffering from decompression sickness.

To deal with this situation, the clinic’s scientists have invested in a hyperbaric chamber. The chamber enables the team to artificially lower them back down to a depth of water their bodies can cope with. Using this device, the turtles can be completely cured after a period of 12 to 18 hours.

By raising awareness about their plight and issuing an emergency number for people to call, their rescue process is becoming increasingly effective. Before being released back into the wild, turtles are tagged so as to track their movements in real time and predict where the next egg-laying event will occur.

Energy Observer is the name of the first hydrogen-powered, zero-emission vessel to be self-sufficient in energy, advocating and serving as a laboratory for ecological transition. Criss-crossing the oceans without air or noise pollution for marine ecosystems, Energy Observer sets out to meet women and men who devote their energy to creating sustainable solutions for a more harmonious world.