Posted on December, 18 2002

Ankara, Turkey - The creation of two new no-fishing zones in Turkey was recently announced in the official gazette of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs. These zones at Ayibaligi in the Karaburun peninsula and at Melleç in the Cilician basin, created through the lobbying efforts of WWF partner NGO, SAD-AFAG, bring the total no-fishing zones in monk seal areas in Turkey up to three. Both the Cilician basin and Karaburun peninsula are important monk seal breeding areas. One of the unique features in the previously existing no-fishing zone in Kizilliman in the Cilician basin is that the zone has been created with the involvement of local fishermen who now monitor and patrol the area. Any illegal activity spotted is reported right away through mobile phones provided to fishermen by SAD-AFAG. This activity puts fishermen in control of the situation and fosters a feeling of ownership. “The creation of these no-fishing zones is an important step for both monk seals and fishermen. The monk seals’ source of food and the fishermen’s source of livelihood are protected,” said Yalcin Savas, Head of Conservation, SAD-AFAG. The Mediterranean monk seal is amongst the rarest and one of the six most-threatened mammal species in the world. According to recent estimates, there are about 300 monk seals in the Mediterranean. In recent years, monk seals have suffered from a loss of habitat due to urbanization, development of secondary holiday houses, and from mass tourism. Their marine environment has been threatened by pollution and their food source by overfishing. The survival of the monk seal is, thus, intricately linked with the conservation of a healthy marine and coastal environment. Monk seals also face accidental deaths by entanglement in fishing nets and deliberate killing by fishermen who believe that monk seals are the cause of declining fish stocks and a reduced income. The no-fishing zones monitored by the local fishermen not only aid in the recovery of fish stock populations, but also help reduce the conflict between fishermen and monk seals. In fact, the monitoring of these zones goes a step further and makes fishermen the guardians of the monk seals. For more information: Sampreethi Aipanjiguly Communications Officer, WWF Mediterranean Programme Tel: +39 06 844 97 224 E-mail: saipanjiguly@wwfmedpo.org Yeşim A. Öztürk Communications Assistant SAD-AFAG Coordination Office, Ankara Tel: +90 312 213 0834 E-mail: info@afag.org