Status: ON-GOING 

Project Duration: May 2024 – May 2025 

Challenge

Karataş, a coastal town, faces environmental challenges like climate change and poor fisheries. An artificial reef project was started in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry in 2020, but there is no monitoring of these reefs yet. A lack of monitoring makes it hard to judge the reefs’ effectiveness in ecosystem restoration, fisheries productivity, and biodiversity enhancement. Also, the region’s biodiversity and fisheries potential are low due to overfishing and human displacement from a recent earthquake.  

 

Solution

A systematic monitoring study of artificial reefs will be implemented to address these challenges. The study will evaluate the reefs’ contribution to ecosystem restoration, fisheries productivity, and biodiversity enhancement over a year. The project aims to solve environmental issues, focusing on climate change and fishing pressure. It seeks to enhance Karataş’s resilience to climate change, improve biodiversity, and create a better marine environment for commercial and endangered fish species. 

 

Activities

• Underwater studies 
• Stakeholder engagement 
•  Data analysis 
•  Development of management recommendations 
• Reporting and dissemination 

 

Project’s deliverables

• Comprehensive dataset on species diversity and abundance within the artificial reef ecosystem.
• Stakeholder engagement report highlighting insights from local anglers and their involvement in the monitoring process.
• List of management recommendations and initiatives for improving the region’s biodiversity conservation and fisheries management.
• A report detailing project findings, including the effectiveness of artificial reefs in supporting small-scale fisheries and enhancing biodiversity.
• Dissemination of project results and recommendations to relevant public institutions and stakeholders to facilitate the implementation of conservation measures and ensure the sustainability of commercial fish stocks in the region.

 

About the organisation: The Karataş Fisheries Cooperative is working towards making the fishery sustainable, ensuring the future of Karataş coasts is resistant to the climate crisis, and supporting the fishery in the region.