MEDASSET: Conservation Status in the Goksu Delta Ramsar/SPA area, Turkey (2002) 1

Marine Turtle Conservation in the Mediterranean

CONSERVATION STATUS IN THE GOKSU DELTA RAMSAR/SPA AREA, TURKEY

Report to the 22nd Meeting of the Standing Committee of the Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats (Bern Convention)

Prepared by MEDASSET

The Mediterranean Association to Save the Sea Turtles

Information supplied by Barry Lunn From observations during mid to late October 2002.

(Original documentation in Annexes I and II.)

November 2002

Anamur, in the Alanya – Mersin region of Turkey1, is listed as one of the 17 most important turtle nesting areas in Turkey (WWF 1988) has two beaches, South beach and Castle beach divided by the Dragon Cayi (Anamur river). Although an archaeological SIT site exists, heavy beach sand exploitation has been known in the past, often with official sanction (Yerli- Demirayak 19962). As of late October 2002:

• Sand extraction continues on both beaches of Anamur on a massive scale. • The sand taken at Anamur contains sea turtle eggs. • A mechanical digger was at work loading a lorry from the riverbank. • Huge pits can be seen on the beaches. • Large and deep tractor tyre marks cross the beach

Silifke - Goksu Delta3, in the Alanya – Mersin region of Turkey, is listed as one of the 17 most important turtle nesting areas in Turkey (WWF 1988). It is a nesting area of the critically endangered Mediterranean Chelonia mydas. A Ramsar site and most of the delta lies within the Goksu Delta SPA.

• Spent gun cartridges litter the area of the Delta, and no wildfowl were observed on the lagoons.

• Raw human sewage pollutes the sea. • Information received from the Tourist Information Office in Silifke included:

1. The view that the turtles are a nuisance. 2. The fishermen kill them because they get stuck in their nets. 3. The turtles pollute the sea. 4. That local hotel owners had analysed the sewage floating in the sea and proved it

came from the sea turtles. 5. Sand is being taken from Anamur beach and that turtle eggs have been found

amongst the taken sand. Kizkalesi4 beach, near the Goksu Delta. A 500 metre long beach totally developed as a tourist resort. Sand is compacted due to intensive human use.

• Large numbers of turtles of all sizes in the sea, up to five at a time, could even be seen from the hotel balconies 16th –18th October 2002.

• An atmosphere of denial pervades the town regarding the presence of sea turtles. • Speedboats and water sports were active in the Bay, not only a danger to the turtles

but also to swimmers. • Fishing nets were set along the shore and left overnight.

The presence of such large numbers of turtles of all sizes at such a late stage in the year indicates that the area of the Goksu Delta is not only one of the most important nesting areas

1 Baran I. & M. Kasparek. 1989. Marine turtles Turkey: Status survey 1988 and recommendations for conservation and management. WWF. 123pp. (Coastal sector numbers 730-735). 2 Yerli, S. & F. Demirayak. 1996. Marine turtles in Turkey: A survey of nesting site status. WWF & DHKD CMS Rep. No 96/4, Istanbul. 239pp. 3 Baran I. & M. Kasparek. 1989. Marine turtles Turkey: Status survey 1988 and recommendations for conservation and management. WWF. 123pp. (Coastal sector numbers 760-767). 4 Baran I. & M. Kasparek. 1989. Marine turtles Turkey: Status survey 1988 and recommendations for conservation and management. WWF. 123pp. (Coastal sector number 775).

MEDASSET: Conservation Status in the Goksu Delta Ramsar/SPA area, Turkey (2002) 2

(Baran-Kasparek 19895) but also an important foraging and possibly over wintering area for both sea turtle species. Some progress has been made by the Turkish authorities in addressing their responsibilities for sea turtle conservation on their southern shores, which we would remind you is the largest of the few remaining nesting “sanctuaries” of the critically endangered Mediterranean green turtle (Chelonia mydas), but we sadly have to call attention to the fact that much more needs to be done, especially in the fields of implementation and public awareness. ********************************************************************************************************** Annexe I: Extracts from E-mail received from UK resident Barry Lunn, who visited the Goksu Delta area mid to late October 2002. 3rd November 2002. “Whilst staying at a place called Kiz-kalesi we observed several sea turtles just off the shore. We spent 3 afternoons watching them (from a pedalo) on the 16/17/18th October. We don't know how many there were but at times you could see up to 5 at once. What was strange, however, is that no one in the town seemed to acknowledge that the turtles were there. You could not miss them - we could even see them from our hotel balcony. What was particularly disturbing was the speed boats for various water sports that were flying around the bay. These were also dangerous to swimming humans. Also, fishing nets were being set and left overnight. We moved on next to a town called Silifke. Here there was a tourist information office where a very friendly man spoke very good English. I mentioned the turtles to him. His view was along the lines of the turtles being a nuisance. He told us that fishermen kill them because they get stuck in their nets. Also, that these turtles were polluting the sea. Apparently people had complained about sewage in the sea off the beach area at kiz-kalesi. Local hotel owners had had this sewage analysed and it was from the turtles. We saw the 'turds' floating around, they were unmistakably human. He also told us that sand is being taken from Anamur beach and that turtle eggs have been found amongst the taken sand. Anamur, coincidentally, is where we were staying next. From walking up the beach, either side of the town, you could see where the sand has been taken from. Huge tractor tyre marks scarred the beach. Large troughs were visible from where the sand had been taken. Presumably taken to waiting lorries. We are talking about a very lot of sand. No attempt had been made to cover up tracks. We have been to Anamur before and had not noticed this before.” ********************************************************************************************************** ********************************************************************************************************** Annexe II: Extracts from E-mail received from UK resident Barry Lunn, who visited the Goksu Delta area mid to late October 2002. 21st November 2002. “The turtles in the sea at Kiz Kalesi seemed to be consistently in the same small area. They were slightly to the East of the beach area. If a line was drawn between the two castles (Kizkalesi and Korkyos), this line would cross the area they were in. I do not know what type of turtle they were, but one noticeable thing is that they were different sizes. As regards the location of the sand extraction from Anamur, sand had been taken from both beaches, i.e. both sides of the town. On the eastern side, a large amount had been taken from the area just after the river (Dragon Cayi). Access to the beach here is down a track that leads from the main road and goes alongside the river all the way to the beach. The tractor/ digger tyre marks on the beach around the area the sand had been taken from were very clear. Further up the river, whilst we were there, a digger was digging away at the riverbanks and loading the soil into a waiting lorry. I assume this is what happened to the sand from the beach. Possibly even the same people. No attempts were made to cover up tracks on the beach, by this I presume that there was no danger of being caught. The tracks on the beach were very clear and quite recent. It had certainly not rained or been windy since they were made. Sand had also been taken from the beach at the western (Anamurium) side of Anamur. A further point regarding the Goksu Delta, you could not walk very far without coming across spent gun cartridges. We did not see any wild fowl on the lakes. We have no problems at all with you using our letter and names.” **********************************************************************************************************

5 Baran I. & M. Kasparek. 1989. Marine turtles Turkey: Status survey 1988 and recommendations for conservation and management. WWF. 123pp.