MEDASSET’s Field Conservation Assessments in Turkey 1996-2007: A Retrospective.

Abstract published in Proceedings of “Second National Symposium on Sea Turtles” in Dalyan, Turkey, 25-27 October 2007

MEDASSET’s Field Conservation Assessments in Turkey 1996-2007: A Retrospective Venizelos, L. MEDASSET President Member IUCN MTSG

Founded in 1988, MEDASSET, The Mediterranean Association to Save the Sea Turtles, was the first international NGO working for the study and conservation of sea turtles and their habitats throughout the Mediterranean, through scientific research, environmental education, political lobbying and raising public awareness. Over 7500 km. of coastline has been surveyed, ranging from Sardinia to the NE Aegean and from the Ionian Sea to the shores of Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Egypt and Libya. This unique research provides invaluable information for coastal habitat management plans, promoting the interests of stakeholders to a more sustainable use of the Mediterranean coastal zones. This paper briefly outlines some of the key areas in Turkey where MEDASSET has been undertaking conservation assessments, campaigning and drafting recommendations to the Turkish Authorities since 1988. The key areas investigated Patara (Antalya), Dalyan (Muğla), Belek (Antalya), Kazanli (Içel), Gőksu Delta (Içel),, Akyatan (Adana), Samandağ (Hatay), are part of the 17 most important sea turtle nesting sites on the Turkish Mediterranean coast (Baran and Kasperek, 1988).

The conservation of marine turtles in the Mediterranean has been under the scrutiny of the Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats (Bern Convention), ratified by Turkey in 1984, since the mid1980s. The Convention has been instrumental in preserving nesting and feeding habitats particularly in some eastern Mediterranean countries, where two endangered species of marine turtles - loggerhead, Caretta caretta, and green turtles, Chelonia mydas and the brackish water - Nile Soft Shelled Turtle Trionyx triunguis are found. MEDASSET is a Partner to UNEP/MAP and a Permanent Observer-member of the Bern Convention (Council of Europe). Since 1992 MEDASSET’s regular surveys and poster presentations, as part of a long-term monitoring programme of the Mediterranean turtle nesting beaches, have contributed to the opening of new Case Files at the Annual Standing Committee Meetings of the Bern Convention and drafting of Recommendations. Through this the Convention exerts pressure on the governments in Greece, Turkey and Cyprus for enhanced protection and conservation; to establish protected areas and implement management and conservation plans.

DALYAN (4.7km) Loggerhead sea turtle nesting beach

This important nesting beach for loggerhead sea turtles, one that MEDASSET has been involved in since 1988 when bulldozing and foundations laid for construction of a large hotel were initiated on the nesting beach. The case was first presented to the Bern Convention in 1989. From 1989 to 2002 we continued to monitor annual progress of the beach, introducing updated reports with recommendations to the Turkish Authorities, carrying out an international campaign through press releases, radio interviews, magazine articles and letters. Thanks to the pressure exerted on the nesting beaches by 1

Abstract published in Proceedings of “Second National Symposium on Sea Turtles” in Dalyan, Turkey, 25-27 October 2007

the NGOs, the hotel was not built and the beach is now properly guarded, managed and was one of the first designated Specially Protected Areas (SPA) in Turkey by the Government. Eleven reports published under TPVS, eight reports without a TPVS reference, including recommendations to the Turkish Authorities have been submitted to the Bern Convention since 1989, one paper and three articles have been published internationally.

PATARA (11.8km) Loggerhead sea turtle nesting beach

In 1988, MEDASSET first brought Patara to the attention of the Bern Convention Standing Committee Meetings. Ongoing yearly reports resulted in a Case File being opened eight years later in 1996 by the Convention. A campaign was launched for the protection of not only one of the most important loggerhead nesting beaches in Turkey, but also an incomparable archaeological site dating back to the Lyceans and the early bronze age, that encroaches onto the nesting beach. It remains our ambition that the site should eventually be granted World Heritage Site status by UNESCO. Since 1996, twelve reports including recommendations have been published under TPVS one without a TPVS reference by the Bern Convention, while articles and internet campaigns to “Save Patara” date back to 1988. It is now designated a Specially Protected Area (SPA).

BELEK (25km) Loggerhead and green sea turtle nesting beach

Despite the fact that Belek is the second most important loggerhead sea turtle nesting beach in the Mediterranean, after Zakynthos Greece; extremely intensive tourist development and sand extraction has posed a serious threat to nesting.

In 2000, an award was granted by British Airways (BA) to the Tourism Operators Association of Belec, naming them a “flagship” example of environmentally friendly development. MEDASSET broached the media to bring the true situation to international attention. Following our campaign, an independent assessment was commissioned by BA in 2001, which proved that our assessments were accurate. Some areas of the beach are designated Natural SIT and some are SPA. Two reports under TPVS were submitted to the Bern Convention in 2000 and 2003 including recommendations to the Turkish Authorities.

GREEN TURTLES

Over the past few years, it has become obvious that green turtles are the most highly endangered of the sea turtle species in the Mediterranean, it is estimated that only about 200-350 nesting females remain. Nesting occurs in only four countries of the eastern Mediterranean (Turkey, Cyprus, Lebanon, Syria) and of these Turkey is by far the most significant.

Hence MEDASSET has been funding assessments by independent Turkish and international experts since 1992 on the current status of the green turtle on their three most important green turtle nesting beaches in Turkey: Kazanli, Akyatan and Samandag. As a result of these reports the Standing Committee

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Abstract published in Proceedings of “Second National Symposium on Sea Turtles” in Dalyan, Turkey, 25-27 October 2007

to the Bern Convention opened a Case File on Green Turtle Nesting in 2000 providing Recommendations to the Turkish Authorities.

KAZANLI (4.5km) Green sea turtle

We believe that from a conservation point of view, Kazanli beach is the one of the most important nesting beaches in the Mediterranean for green turtles but also the most problematic. This beach holds an outstanding green turtle population, but faces numerous threats to the turtle and human population such as a Soda Chrome factory and the problem of beach erosion from the recently removed jetty and sand extraction. Beach section K3, which was once the most important nesting area, with over 40 nests/km, has almost completely disappeared and now only a few hundred square metres of sand remain.

MEDASSET first drew public interest in Kazanli in 2001 under the “White Ghosts of Kazanli” Campaign, as when the Soda Sanayi A.S. bulldozed the land bridge separating effluent basins of the factory from the sea, discharging the contents into the Mediterranean. It was named “White Ghosts” as green turtles emerged to nest with white precipitate covering their carapace.

MEDASSET conducted tests of a contaminated sample and found chromium concentration 13,500 times higher than the natural occurrence in sea water (UMWELTBURO WOLF, 2001). Following an international campaign and pressure on the Chrome factory, it has since 2001 made significant progress in reducing its environmental impacts. However no attempts have been made to find a solution for the 1.5 million tons of hazardous waste which has been produced by the factory in the past and which is deposited on the beach next to the sea, covered only with plastic sheeting.

As Kazanli is seriously exploited and eroded our research was extended to examine whether known sea turtle site fidelity might somehow have been disrupted and nesting transferred to previously favoured beaches to the north and south, 36.5km of potential beaches were assessed in late June 2003 on surrounding sites each side of Kazanli: Kizkalesi; Limonlu; Ayas; Erdemli; Cesmeli; Davultepe and Tarsus. Perhaps predictably, only one beach was found to have Green Turtle significance (14 nests) but not in the same order of magnitude as that effectively lost from the damaged Kazanli.

Following MEDASSET’s campaign the Standing Committee Meeting of the Bern Convention issued Recommendation No.95 (2002) to the Turkish Authorities regarding Kazanli. In total MEDASSET has submitted eight reports with recommendations to the Turkish Authorities under TPVS to the Bern Convention and has published two papers. MEDASSET continues to followup the ecological status of Kazanli each year with reports submitted to the Convention. The beach was designated as a Natural SIT in 2000.

Aykatan (21.7km) Green sea turtle

Furthermore we conducted research assessments on other green turtle nesting beaches such as Akyatan; the most pristine nesting beach in Turkey.

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Abstract published in Proceedings of “Second National Symposium on Sea Turtles” in Dalyan, Turkey, 25-27 October 2007

This natural SIT protected beach has the largest number of green turtles nesting in the whole Mediterranean, but is afflicted with major fox and jackal predation. MEDASSET has submitted 5 reports under TPVS, one without a TPVS reference, to the Bern Convention.

Samandag (10.3km) Green sea turtle

The beach is severely eroded due to illegal sand mining. Samandag has no protection status and is in drastic need of rehabilitation to sustain any level of nesting. MEDASSET submitted 5 reports to the Bern Convention under TPVS and published one paper.

Goksu Delta (500m long) Green and loggerhead sea turtles

The Delta, a RAMSAR site, is an important nesting area as well as important feeding ground and possible over-wintering area for both loggerhead and green sea turtles. Two reports including recommendations to the Turkish Government were submitted to the Bern Convention, one was published under TPVS. Sugözü (3.7km long) Green sea turtle

Sugözü beaches are situated next to a large Power Station (BOTAS) completed in early 2004. Due to this, and also as the area is difficult to reach, there are practically no tourist activities on the beaches. One report including recommendations to the Turkish Government was submitted to the Bern Convention, published under TPVS. Trioynx triunguis: The Soft Shelled Brackish Water Turtle The Mediterranean subpopulation of the Nile soft-shelled turtle, (Trionyx triunguis), is listed by IUCN as critically endangered and classified as ‘severely fragmented. In response to this in 1998 MEDASSET initiated annual field survey assessments of the Trionyx population status along the Mediterranean coast of Turkey, and have produced several assessment reports with recommendations to the Turkish Authorities. In 2003 Recommendation No. 105 was issued to the Turkish Authorities by the Bern Convention. Research was carried out in Dalyan, Dalaman, Patara, the Kopru River, Acisu, Ceyhan River, Karatas and Tuzla channels, Seyhan and Berdan Rivers. Research showed that the Çukurova and Dalaman Deltas have the only remaining significant populations in the Mediterranean and found that reproduction occurs in at a minimum of 8 other sites in Turkey. Habitat destruction, fisheries interactions, pollution and human disturbance are the main threats.

Six TPVS reports with recommendations were submitted to the Bern Convention by MEDASSET, two without TPVS references and published two papers and two articles. Sadly no practical steps or considerable progress toward conservation could be demonstrated by the Authorities. However, presently effort to control pollution in specific waterways for certain Trioynx locations near tourist developments is underway. To ensure the survival of

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Abstract published in Proceedings of “Second National Symposium on Sea Turtles� in Dalyan, Turkey, 25-27 October 2007

this small Mediterranean sub-population this needs to be followed up by the Turkish Authorities.

In conclusion, while significant advancements have been made in the field of turtle conservation, there is still a great deal more we can all do to ensure these majestic creatures continue to grace our Mediterranean waters and shores.

MEDASSET wishes to thank the following researchers and dedicated volunteers who have contributed to our research and conservation work in Turkey for the past 19 years; without their support we would not have been able to achieve so much: Dr. Max Kasperek; Dr. Pamir Yilmaz; Filiz Demirayak; Monica Aureggi; Andrew and Tracey-Anne Cutbush; Stephanie Perkins and June Haimoff.

To visit all abovementioned reports, articles, papers and references etc. to this paper please visit: http://www.medasset.org/pub_db/Index.htm .

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