TUI Sea the Change Türkiye

The second phase of TUI Sea the Change Türkiye tackles the tension between a growing tourism economy and the need to keep monk seal and seagrass habitats healthy along the coasts from Fethiye-Göcek to Kaş. Caves in these areas give monk seals safe places to rest and breed, whilst seagrass meadows such as Posidonia act as underwater forests that store carbon, protect beaches and shelter young fish.

However, damage from boat anchors, noisy boat traffic and climate change can damage these habitats faster than they can recover, putting both wildlife and local livelihoods at risk. The successful first phase of the project showed that every identified monk seal is vital for the survival of this small population, and that local communities and visitors want to help once they understand that the stakes for this endangered species are high. Building on this, the project’s second phase strengthens habitat protection, improves scientific data and involves more people so that nature, tourism and fisheries can all benefit.

TUI Sea the Change Türkiye continues cave monitoring in two key locations and adds acoustic methods. It continues to use the camera trap in Kaş and the remote system in the Fethiye-Göcek area and places hydrophones inside the caves to record underwater seal sounds. By comparing acoustic recordings with camera images, researchers can recognise individual animals and see how they use each cave across seasons and times of day. Field visits take place every three to four months, and key findings are summarised in annual reports so that trends are easy to follow over time.

The Sarigerme seagrass station continues to monitor the meadow twice a year and reports on its health, on human impacts and on sea temperature trends. In Aşı Bay, detailed maps of seagrass meadows and damaged patches guide future management. Regular patrols and surveillance in the Fethiye-Göcek area spot risky activities and create space for direct conversations with sea users. Together, these activities protect and restore around 200,000 square metres of coastal and marine habitat.

Alongside this fieldwork, the project supports the future designation of Sarigerme–Aşı Bay as an official Marine Protected Area, which would give these habitats long-term legal protection. Scientific data feeds into discussions with national and local authorities, and shows how a protected bay can secure both biodiversity and the long-term value of the destination for tourism and fisheries.

Awareness and education run through all activities. The project engages 20 tourism businesses and a wider group of public and private organisations through training sessions that highlight responsible tourism practices. Water sports clubs and kids clubs in hotels in Sarigerme, Fethiye and Antalya also receive training on local wildlife, using a monk seal-themed board game to make learning fun and memorable. School visits and festival activities, including at the Göcek Children’s Festival, involve 600 schoolchildren in simple workshops on monk seals, seagrass and the wider Mediterranean ecosystem. In total, the project trains 245 local people and involves thousands of children and tourists in marine conservation experiences.

On the water, the conservation-friendly boat programme, first tested in the earlier phase, now grows in scale. Partnerships with four marinas and at least six new boats set and apply agreed standards that reduce underwater noise, limit disturbance near caves and cut anchor damage to seagrass, turning every trip at sea into an opportunity to protect, rather than harm, this unique coastline.

The Mediterranean Conservation Society (Akdeniz Koruma Derneği – AKD) was established in Izmir, Turkey, in 2012 as a national non-profit organization. MCS focuses on endangered species such as the Mediterranean Monk Seal and the Sandbar Shark, the monitoring and restoration of the marine ecosystems in which they live and supporting coastal communities in developing sustainable livelihoods through projects that are locally appropriate, based on good science and tradition. As a non-profit, we conduct projects to address several key challenges facing the Turkish coastline, including supporting and advocating for the establishment of No-Fishing Zones and systems of community rangers, protecting endangered species and their habitat, tackling the issue of invasive species, developing sustainable alternatives to fishing through eco-tourism projects and organizing marine clean-up activities.