The lack of highly enforced and well-managed Marine Protected Areas (MPA) in the Mediterranean basin is the biggest challenge!
It is helpful to review threats facing the Mediterranean Sea through two regions: the Western Mediterranean and the Eastern Mediterranean.
In general, the Mediterranean Sea is one of the most depleted seas in the world. Overfishing is the most severe problem in the Mediterranean, where 86 per cent of fish stocks are entirely depleted. Large-scale commercial fishing methods, which are especially destructive to the marine ecosystem, such as bottom trawling, place an increasing threat to the maintenance of large fish stocks with high economic value and bottom species that have a critical role in maintaining ecosystem balance. The current situation regarding stocks and species diversity in the Mediterranean shows that current fishing methods are not sustainable. PIn the northern Mediterranean, one of the most critical challenges is the rapid destruction and opening of natural coastal habitats for tourism and construction.
Every year, new coastal areas that are used by species are opened to commercial use. One species most affected by this situation is the endangered Mediterranean monk seal, of which only 600–700 individuals remain in the world. About 100 individuals are known to inhabit the Turkish coast.
Another challenge in the larger Mediterranean is waste pollution, and sound pollution in the sea brought about by marine trade and shipping traffic.
Similarly, wastewater and solid waste pollution from large metropolitan cities on the coasts disrupts the water quality and ecosystem. Additionally, because of the severe pollution issues it generates, aquaculture, a practice that has moved to the Eastern Mediterranean, severely damages the coastlines of Turkey and Greece.
The Mediterranean is one of the ecosystems most affected by the climate crisis.
The climate crisis and introducing invasive species to the Mediterranean have negative and irreversible impacts on the marine ecosystem. Rising seawater temperatures are increasing the range of tropical Red Sea-originated species. Invasive species, whose numbers rapidly expand across parts of the Mediterranean, dominate local species and invertebrates like the long-spined sea urchin. As Mediterranean Conservation Society (Akdeniz Koruma Derneği), we started a project called New Fish (Yeni Balıklar) with the mission of introducing edible invasive species to consumers and the market and, in turn, reducing the negative impact of invasive species on our marine ecosystem and native species, and provide additional income for small-scale fishers who are in the frontlines of climate change.
We can say that the most significant deficiency and threat in the Mediterranean is the absence of highly enforced and well-managed Marine Protected Areas (MPAs).
No-Fishing Zones (NFZs), areas within MPAs that are restricted to specific fishing activity, account for less than 1 per cent of the Mediterranean basin. The target by Mediterranean countries is to reach 10 per cent by 2030.
When Marine Protected Areas are established in high biodiversity areas and are managed well, we can protect our marine ecosystem.
As Mediterranean Conservation Society, we support the success of MPAs across the Turkish coast through our Marine Ranger System, which places local coastal fishers at the forefront of marine protection through daily patrols in the MPAs, recording and reporting illegal activities to the relevant Government institutions.