Turtles have been around for millions of years, surviving one natural disaster after the other, but they have become an uncommon sight in local waters.

With the three species found locally on the critically endangered list, the authorities have been stepping up efforts to protect them. The latest venture is a campaign that will help people "adopt" one of these amphibians. At first money will be collected by Air Malta to help finance the campaign but then turtles would be up for "adoption" against the small price of €15.

Obviously, nobody will actually be taking home a turtle but the money will go towards the Aquaculture Research Centre's rehabilitation centre at Torri San Luċjan, which helps return to the wild turtles caught accidentally.

Built by Grandmaster Alof De Wignacourt to watch over Marsaxlokk Bay, the centre is the only research facility for hatching marine species, including amberjack, sea bream and sea bass.

Among its ongoing projects is the holding of blue fin tuna eggs as part of a multinational effort to breed the species in captivity and reduce the impact of fishing on natural stocks.

The breeding of grouper and meagre is also in the pipeline. Eggs have already been imported, some of which have hatched. The juveniles are being reared with the intention of developing a cycle.

Formerly housing bronze canon, the tower, which was enlarged and reinforced by Grandmaster Emmanuel De Rohan, today contains a series of rooms housing a myriad of large bubbling tanks animated by hundreds of tiny fish.

The facility also produces its own food, including algae, for instance, which is cultivated in large plastic sacks that look more like something coming out of a Sci-Fi movie.