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| Kaş-Kekova Marine Protected Area | |
|---|---|
| Name | Kaş-Kekova Marine Protected Area |
| Iucn category | II |
| Location | Antalya Province, Turkey |
| Nearest city | Kaş |
| Area | ~350 km² |
| Established | 1990s |
| Governing body | Ministry of Environment and Urbanization; Antalya Governorship |
Kaş-Kekova Marine Protected Area is a coastal conservation zone off the southwestern coast of Anatolia in Antalya Province. The area encompasses islands, coasts, and seabed near the town of Kaş and the island group around Kekova, protecting marine habitats, archaeological ruins, and traditional fisheries. It is managed through a combination of Turkish national decrees, regional authorities, and local stakeholders including municipalities and non-governmental organizations.
The protected area lies within the historical region of Lycia and overlaps with the archaeological district containing sites such as Simena, Korydalla, and Dolichiste, linking cultural heritage with marine conservation. Designation efforts involved agencies like the Republic of Turkey Ministry of Culture and Tourism and international actors including UNESCO-linked experts and conservation NGOs such as WWF and IUCN. Management integrates directives from the Convention on Biological Diversity and regional frameworks influenced by the Barcelona Convention and its SPA/BD Protocol.
The marine protected area extends along the southern Lycian coast between the towns of Kaş and Demre and includes archipelagos near Kekova, Üçağız, and Kaleköy. Bathymetry ranges from shallow bays to steeper continental shelf drops toward the Mediterranean Sea, adjacent to sea lanes used historically by vessels from Venice, Genoa, and later Ottoman Empire fleets. Administrative boundaries were codified in Turkish conservation decrees and enforced by local entities including the Kaş District Governorate and Antalya Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism.
The area harbors Mediterranean seagrass meadows dominated by Posidonia oceanica and coralligenous assemblages similar to those described in studies by Mediterranean Action Plan researchers. Rocky reefs support benthic invertebrates such as Spirula spirula relatives and commercially important fishes including species allied with records of Epinephelus marginatus (grouper) and Dentex dentex. The region is a foraging ground for marine turtles including Caretta caretta and hosts migratory seabirds observed by ornithologists associated with BirdLife International surveys. Nearby terrestrial flora includes Mediterranean maquis elements comparable to those in Olympos Beydağları National Park and endemic taxa documented by botanists from Akdeniz University.
Protection measures combine restricted zones, no-take areas, and regulated activity schedules derived from Turkish environmental legislation and recommendations from bodies like the European Commission for regional marine protection. Enforcement involves patrols by Turkish Coast Guard Command units, local police, and community-based watch programs pioneered with support from NGOs including TURMEPA and The Nature Conservancy. Adaptive management has drawn on monitoring protocols from MedPAN networks and research partnerships with academic institutions such as Ege University and İstanbul University. Sustainable fisheries programs have been piloted with traditional fishermen from Kaş and cooperative models similar to initiatives supported by the Food and Agriculture Organization.
Submerged Lycian city ruins, sunken houses, and tombs near Kekova and Ölüdeniz-era maritime routes link the area to classical antiquity, Byzantine trade, and later Ottoman maritime history. Archaeological surveys by teams from the Turkish Archaeological Institute and foreign missions referencing methodologies from the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) have documented mosaics, amphorae concentrations, and harbour structures. Conservation of underwater cultural heritage in the area aligns with principles of the UNESCO Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage and collaborative projects with museums such as the Antalya Museum.
Tourism centers on diving, traditional gulet cruises, and archaeological tourism promoted by local operators in Kaş and Demre. Dive sites attract international certification agencies like PADI and BSAC-certified instructors, while sustainable tourism guidelines reference best practices from Blue Flag and Mediterranean eco-tourism case studies involving Slow Food-aligned culinary trails. Visitor management employs permit systems inspired by protected areas in Bodrum and Fethiye, balancing income from maritime tourism with conservation priorities upheld by district municipalities and private enterprises.
Major threats include overfishing documented in assessments by regional fisheries agencies, habitat loss from unregulated anchoring and coastal development observed near Antalya Province resorts, pollution from maritime traffic connected to routes between Istanbul and Alexandria, and climate-driven impacts such as sea surface warming implicated by studies from institutions like TÜBİTAK and Mediterranean Institute for Advanced Studies (IMEDEA). Invasive species introductions, including Lessepsian migrants facilitated by shipping near the Suez Canal, add pressure to native assemblages. Responses emphasize integrated coastal zone management, transboundary cooperation under frameworks like the Barcelona Convention, and community engagement modeled after successful cases in Sardinia and the Balearic Islands.
Category:Protected areas of Turkey Category:Marine reserves Category:Antalya Province