Proceedings, Second Mediterranean Conference on Marine Turtles, Kemer, 2005 A REVIEW OF SEA TURTLE CONSERVATION IN TURKEY Paul EDGAR (1) and Lily VENIZELOS (2) (1) Societas Europaea Herpetologica, c/o The Herpetological Conservation Trust, 655a Christchurch Road, Bournemouth, Dorset, BH1 4AP, U.K (2) MEDASSET, Mediterranean Association to Save the Sea Turtles, 1c Licavitou str., GR-106 72 Athens, Greece The Mediterranean coast of southern Turkey supports several internationally important breeding beaches for Caretta caretta and Chelonia mydas. MEDASSET, with a natural interest in the biology and conservation of marine turtles, and with observer status at the annual Contracting Parties meetings of the Bern Convention Standing Committee, has prepared reports, highlighted threats and made proposals regarding sites in Turkey, such as Patara, Kazanli, Belek and Dalyan. In particular, MEDASSET, with the support of the Societas Europaea Herpetologica, has highlighted the critically endangered status of Chelonia mydas, lobbying for case files to be opened at the Bern Convention and formal recommendations to be made to the Turkish Government. This paper reviews the last 17 years of marine turtle conservation issues in Turkey. Threats to important turtle rookeries have been numerous and have included major tourist developments, disturbance, pollution, sand extraction and erosion. A timeline of major events at specific sites provides a summary of MEDASSET's activities, since its inception in 1988, in response to these threats. A literature review lists major documents and other publications relevant to turtle conservation in Turkey. In this way, the successes and failures in preventing damaging developments and addressing specific problems via the Bern Convention, as well as promoting turtle conservation and local awareness, are assessed. Where possible, the breeding success of marine turtles in Turkey, and how this has been affected, is also reported.
80