Gökova Integrated Coastal & Marine Management Planning (ICMM) project was designed in 2008 and realized in 2009 and 2010 by Rubicon Foundation (based in the Netherlands) and SAD-AFAG (based in Türkiye).

In the year of 2008, within the BBI Matra Program of the Netherlands Agriculture Ministry, the Netherlands based Rubicon Foundation proposed to SAD-AFAG to execute a coastal area Project. As a result of early negotiations with MARA and EPASA, Board members of SAD prepared an extended marine and coastal areas including fishery management planning Project in Gökova SEPA with the support of relevant organizations. After the project was submitted by Rubicon Foundation to BBI Matra Funds, the project was approved by the fund and it was foreshadowed that the project would commence on 2nd January in 2009. With a total budget of 220,000 Euro and it will last 22 months (January 2009 to November 2010). There is not only monetary budget by the fund raiser in the project but also SAD-AFAG undertakes in-kind contributions (such as land and marine vessels, diving and photography equipment and expert & logistics staff).

Objective:

The main objective of the project is to design a draft “Integrated Coastal and Marine Management Planning” of Gökova SEPA and to enhance a Model Management Planning  in our country.Gökova ICMM project’s first target aimed to reach following results; to protect Gökova Bay together with its biodiversity and to develop a sustainable “integrated marine & coastal management planning” taking both ecologic andsocio-economic aspects.

In the long term the contribution of the project is protection of marine and coastal biodiversity in the coasts of the country and also helping to design a management planning and related legislation which is supposed to be readily implemented by the relevant national governmental bodies and local authorities in the area.

Scope:
The area coverage of the project is whole Gökova SEPA. All the coasts and coastal areas are within the study area of the project.The scope of the project is not restricted to only ecological dimension but also socio-economic dimension. A comprehensive evaluation will be made covering both ecological and socio-economic components. Assessment on pressure of human activities on cultural & natural assets and solution recommendations are also among the activities of the project. Legislation studies will be made on “Fishery Management” and “Integrated Coastal and Marine Management Planning”, in the project implementation process, a draft legislation study which will ease the works of relevant bodies will be also included to the activities of the project. Primary Principle of the Project:The primary principle of the project is to study the project outputs and results in an holistic approach which will include all the relevant stakeholders in every stage of the project.Project management body will collaborate relevant stakeholders and decision makers to prepare “Integrated Coastal & Marine Areas Management Planning” by taking opinions, recommendations and active participations of EPASA, MARA, DG Protection and Control, Mugla Governorship, Ula and Marmaris Sub-Governorship, Coast Guard Command and local NGOs etc. and other relevant stakeholders.

Method:
In Gökova ICMM project that will last 22 months, experts, scientists, academicians, competent field researchers will make literature and research studies on ecological & socio-economical components, threats and pressure factors within the whole Gökova SEPA (in coastal and marine areas).During all activities, the opinion and recommendation of representatives of local authorities, farmers, fishermen, tourism companies, local people of Gökova will be taken into consideration.All the research findings and data will be analyzed and transferred to GIS. The outputs of GIS will be shared with the concerned governmental bodies.

The national legislation on fishery and EU Acqui will be comparatively analyzed and draft regulations and/or specific regulation articles will be designed for the national Fishery Legislation which is compatible for EU Acqui.

Stakeholder’s meeting will be held and support of local people will be obtained.

A. In the section of ecological components of Marine, coast and underwater,
– Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus)
– Marine fish
– Macrobenthic fauna
– Marine and coastal birds and raptors
– Sea meadow (Posidonia oceanica)

B. Socio-economic components of marine and coastal activities in the area :
– Fishery
– Fish farms
– Tourism (hotels, motels, pansions, eco-tourism)
– Boats, yatchs and marine tourismC. Coastal geography and habitat classificationD. Threats and pressures
– Threats to the natural resources, habitats and biological diversity analyzed
–  Pressure for coastal development analyzed
– Marine pollution measuresE. Photography and documentation of underwater, marine, coastal biodiversityF. Transfer of all data to the database and Geographical Information System (GIS)G. Designing an applicable “Integrated Coastal and Marine Management Planning” in Gökova SEPA and develop an “Integrated Management Model” for Türkiye.