Alnitak is a non governmental non-profit association, founded in 1990 with the aim of carrying out studies in cooperation with universities, environmental organisations and other institutions to increment our knowledge on the marine and coastal environment and thereby contribute to the biodiversity conservation strategies.

Alnitak focuses most of its research efforts into providing baseline scientific data for the adoption of management measures that should make fisheries sustainability, economic development and biodiversity conservation compatible. In this sense, Alnitak has been focusing during the last years in the development of Conservation Plans and the design of Marine Protected Areas, based on robust scientific data. In addition, there is a strong tradition of cooperation and synergy between the Alnitak team and the main European and international entities and programmes devoted to these issues (e.g. NOAA Fisheries, WIDECAST, SMRU, IWC, DIFRES, ACCOBAMS, EC, IEO Spain), the main stakeholders (e.g. the longlining fleet) and the competent authorities in Spain (Ministry of Environment and Ministry of Fisheries).

In addition, Alnitak counts with the research ship Toftevaag, with which we have been carrying out most of our work on sea turtles and cetaceans for two decades.

Alnitak is partner of ACCOBAMS (Agreement for the Conservation of Cetaceans in the Black Sea, Mediterranean Sea and contiguous Atlantic waters), and member of SEC (Spanish Cetacean Society) and Cetacean Alliance: