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1. Introduction
The Mediterranean Sea basin is recognized as one of the most important biodiversity
areas, where the extended Aegean and Levantine coastlines of Turkey were included to
globally defined 25 hotspots (Myers et al., 2000). Despite of the lack of knowledge on
several marine taxa, a modest biodiversity estimate indicates the presence of at least
17000 species non-uniformly scattered throughout the Mediterranean, in which the
highest number of Red List (critically endangered, endangered and vulnerable) species
are concentrated at the western shelves, Adriatic and Aegean Seas (Coll et al., 2010). A
breakdown of the major threats to several faunal taxa (see Cuttelod et al., 2008) revealed
the loss, fragmentation and degradation of habitats as a direct or indirect result of human
activities is the main threat to Mediterranean species, followed by pollution,
overexploitation (unsustainable harvesting, hunting and fishing), natural disasters,
invasive alien species, human disturbance, and bycatch, respectively in order of
importance.
The first law on species conservation, namely the Hunting Law, in Turkey's
history was put into force by 1937, during the presidency of Mustafa Kemal Atatrk. But
considering specifically the marine realm, the concepts of "conservation" and
"biodiversity" are relatively new concerns of Turkey that were put into the governments
agenda quite lately. Right after the inclusion of legal texts on nature conservation within
the Turkish constitution (1982, i.e. article 56 - the State shall take the necessary
precautions towards the protection and utilization of natural resources), Turkey has
signed a couple of important treaties in the following years, such as the Barcelona and
Bern conventions. Research efforts made during the last few decades have revealed that
several priority habitats (as defined in EU Habitats Directive; such as Posidonia oceanica
meadows, coralligenous habitats, marine caves etc.) and high number of endangered
species are concentrated along the Aegean Sea coasts. These precious habitats thus
deserve a special concern in nature conservation activities, but efforts spent so far were
focused mostly on the monitoring of critically endangered species, while the ecosystem
approach has not yet to be implemented. Laws have been designed to protect threatened
and endangered species, but previous experiences have shown that species are effectively
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preserved if special attentions are paid primarily to habitats (Bianchi and Morri, 2000).
This approach once more shows us the extreme importance of marine protected areas,
urgently to be handled and established by the government using the available datasets
obtained during several biodiversity projects carried out so far. An estimated 3461 km 2
of marine area is presently under legal protection (4% of total area) within 31 marine and
coastal protected areas in Turkey, which is well far from the expected figures. In this
review, the endangered marine species distributing throughout the Turkish Aegean Sea
coasts are examined. Not only the Red Lists of IUCN were taken into consideration, but
also the relevant international treaties signed by Turkey were also analyzed.
2. Status of Endangered Species of the Aegean Sea
An examination of Red Lists (IUCN) and appendices of rest of the international
treaties (Barcelona and Bern conventions) have revealed the presence of 146 endangered
marine species inhabiting the Aegean Sea, comprising 18 plant, 37 invertebrate and 90
vertebrate species (for full account, see the Appendix). In a couple of cases, entire species
of a particular taxonomical group are assessed to be endangered; for example all 10
marine mammal species inhabiting the Aegean Sea were listed by IUCN red lists, as is
the case for marine reptiles and Petromyzonti (Table 1). However, majority of the taxa
has not yet evaluated by the IUCN experts or covered by appendices of treaties, so the
proportion of endangered species as a percentage of the relevant local diversity is quite
low - for example, out of 1056 marine arthropod species occurring along the Turkish
Aegean Sea coast (Bakr et al., 2014), only seven species appear within red lists or
appendices of other conventions, which makes 0.7% of the local diversity.
The Bern Convention constitutes an instrument of major importance for the
conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity at the regional level, whose main
objective is to conserve wild flora and fauna and their natural habitats, especially those
requiring the co-operation of several States. With reference to marine taxa occurring in
the Aegean Sea, 78 species are currently covered by the Bern Convention. There are only
6 marine plants included in App.I (3 algae species and 3 flowering plant species), while
majority of the strictly protected species are animal taxa (49 sp.) and exploitation of 23
more species are to be regulated.
The Barcelona Convention comprises 22 contracting parties that are determined to
protect the marine and coastal environment of the Mediterranean, while focusing to
achieve sustainable development by boosting regional and national plans. By the recent
revisions made, the Barcelona convention now includes 104 protected species inhabiting
the Aegean Sea. The appendix II (endangered plant and animal species) lists 79 species,
while 25 species were mentioned in appendix III.
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Table 1. Number of threatened species in taxonomic groups in the Aegean Sea and
their proportions as a percentage of the relevant local diversity.
Number of Threatened Species
% of Local Diversity
Plantae
18
3,6
Porifera
11
Bryozoa
0,7
Cnidaria
5,8
Arthropoda
0,7
Mollusca
10
1,2
Echinodermata
3,9
Petromyzonti
100
Elasmobranchii
39
67,2
Actinopteri
20
4,5
Reptilia
100
Aves
18
50
Mammalia
10
100
IUCN is the world's main authority for the conservation status of species, and the
red lists of threatened species prepared are the most comprehensive inventory of the
global conservation status of organisms, assessing the risk of extinction of species. The
regional (Mediterranean and Europe) red lists include 49 (critically endangered: 13,
endangered: 15, vulnerable: 21) and 45 (regionally extinct: 2, CR: 13; EN: 13; VU: 17)
species, respectively.
2.1. Marine Algae and Seagrasses
Of almost 800 marine floral species of Turkey, slightly over 500 species were
recorded from the Turkish Aegean Sea coast (Takn et al., 2001; 2008), 3.6% of them
are under protection. Among these, the Cystoseira species are among the most important
marine ecosystem-engineers, forming extended canopies, which are sensitive to any
human disturbances, like the decrease in water quality, the coastal development and the
outbreak of herbivores (Gianni et al., 2013). By the recent revision of Barcelona
convention, all Cystoseira species (except for C. compressa) were listed as endangered,
corresponding to 10 species reported from Aegean coasts of Turkey (Takn et al., 2008).
Seagrass meadows rank among the most productive coastal habitats (Figure 1), playing
key roles in several ecological processes (see contributions presented in Aktan and Aysel,
2013). The overall decline of marine phanerogams in the Mediterranean has been
measured as approximately 10% over the last 100 years, which does not trigger any of
the threatened categories (thus several species were interpreted as "least concern"), but
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Bern evaluates three of the species as strictly protected, while Barcelona lists four species
as endangered.
2.2. Marine Invertebrates
Among 37 endangered invertebrate species reported from the eastern Aegean Sea,
Mollusca had the highest number of species (10 sp.), followed by Porifera (9 sp.),
Cnidaria (7 sp.) and Arthropoda (7 sp.). Rest of the taxa is represented by a few number
of species.
Some of the Mediterranean sponge species are under pressure mainly of epidemic
diseases, direct and indirect effects of global warming and overfishing of bath sponges
(Pronzato, 1999; Pronzato and Manconi, 2008), but threat factors at the Aegean Sea are
primarily associated with antropogenic impacts (i.e. discharge of pollutants, alteration of
coastal ecosystems, etc.). Following the severe epidemic during 1986, which was resulted
by the mass mortality of sponges in several Mediterranean countries, the sponge fishery
was banned in Turkey (Fishery Bulletin no.3/1 of General Directorate of Fisheries and
Aquaculture).
The endangered molluscs of the Aegean Sea are threatened mainly by hobbyist
activities (for example illegal collection of cowry shells), human consumption (such as
of Lithophaga lithophaga) and bycatch of various fishing gears (i.e. bottom trawlers'
impact on Pinna beds, see Figure 2) (Katsanevakis et al., 2008). Collection of a few
species is banned by Turkish national measures, which certainly require an update.
As for the threatened marine crustaceans, the major negative impact is of course the
over- and illegal fishing activities, likely to be remained unsolved because of ineffective
governmental measures. Authors of this chapter have witnessed several times the fishing
of endangered lobster species illegally out of the permitted season. Due to their high
commercial values, many crustaceans are objected to IUU (illegal, unreported and
unregulated) fishing.
Several anthozoa species play vital role as bio-constructors, creating habitats that
act as a shelter for many other organisms, thus harboring a great biodiversity. Long-lived
sessile invertebrates (like corals) are clearly more prone to extinction due to their very
slow growth and recovery. The fragility of the colonies makes them very vulnerable to
environmental or human-induced impacts, and even centuries maybe required (for
example for black corals) to recover from disturbance. Of the cnidarians evaluated by
IUCN so far, only a single species occurring at Aegean Sea is critically endangered
(Isidella elongata); this species has very recently been recorded from Turkey, off
Gkeada coasts, without any description and figure (Gnlal and Green, 2014).
Considering the Turkish national legislations, there are only two cnidarian species banned
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for fishing - the gold coral (Savalia savaglia) and the red coral (Corallium rubrum). The
existence of the latter species in Turkey is a matter of dispute and all relevant records lack
scientific basis (see nar et al., 2014).
587
Figure 2. Examples of endangered invertebrate species from the Aegean Sea (upper
left - Aplysina aerophoba; upper right - Pinna nobilis; lower left - Palinurus
elaphas; lower right - Paracentrotus lividus) (photos: M & D. Kaya Bilecenoglu)
588
589
590
591
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Aktan, Y., and V. Aysel. 2013. First national workshop on Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile
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593
Appendix. Endangered species of the eastern Aegean Sea (RL1: global red list; RL2:
Europe red list; RL3: Mediterranean red list). Red List Categories: RE - regionally extinct,
CR - critically endangered, EN - endangered, VU - vulnerable. Description of Bern
Convention Appendices - App.I: strictly protected flora species; App.II: strictly protected
fauna species; App.III: protected fauna species. Description of Barcelona Convention
Appendices - App.II: List of endangered and threatened species; App.III: List of species
whose exploitation is regulated.
Group/Species
RL1
RL2
RL3
Bern
Barcelona
App.I
App.II
App.I
App.I
App.II
App.II
App.II
App.II
App.I
App.II
App.I
App.II
App.I
App.II
App.II
App.II
App.II
App.II
App.II
App.II
App.II
App.II
App.III
App.III
App.II
App.III
App.III
App.II
App.II
ALGAE
SPERMATOPHYTA
PORIFERA
BRYOZOA
Hornera lichenoides (Linnaeus, 1758)
CNIDARIA
Cladocora caespitosa (Linnaeus, 1767)
EN
EN
App.II
VU
CR
EN
App.II
594
VU
VU
App.II
App.II
App.III
App.III
App.III
App.III
App.II
App.II
VU
App.III
App.III
App.III
App.III
App.III
App.III
App.III
App.III
App.II
App.II
App.II
App.II
App.II
App.II
App.II
App.II
App.II
App.II
App.II
App.II
App.II
App.II
App.II
App.II
App.II
App.II
App.II
App.II
App.II
App.II
App.II
App.III
App.III
App.III
App.III
EN
VU
EN
VU
VU
EN
EN
App.III
VU
CR
CR
App.II
VU
CR
EN
App.II
App.II
VU
CR
VU
App.III
VU
EN
VU
App.II
App.II
EN
VU
CRUSTACEA
MOLLUSCA
ECHINODERMATA
PETROMYZONTI
Petromyzon marinus Linnaeus, 1758
ELASMOBRANCHII
Alopias superciliosus Lowe, 1841
595
VU
CR
CR
CR
App.II
EN
VU
VU
App.II
EN
EN
EN
App.II
VU
CR
CR
App.II
VU
App.III
VU
VU
CR
App.III
App.II
VU
CR
CR
App.III
App.II
EN
EN
CR
App.II
EN
EN
EN
App.II
App.II
EN
App.III
VU
VU
EN
App.III
VU
App.III
VU
VU
CR
VU
App.II
VU
VU
CR
App.II
CR
VU
App.III
App.III
EN
EN
EN
EN
EN
EN
EN
App.II
EN
CR
CR
App.III
App.II
VU
VU
App.II
VU
EN
EN
App.III
CR
CR
CR
App.II
CR
CR
CR
App.II
CR
CR
CR
App.III
App.II
CR
RE
App.III
CR
App.II
App.II
App.III
App.III
ACTINOPTERI
CR
App.III
VU
VU
VU
EN
EN
EN
App.III
App.III
App.II
App.II
App.II
App.II
596
RE
App.III
App.II
VU
VU
VU
VU
VU
VU
VU
App.III
VU
App.III
App.III
VU
App.III
EN
EN
App.III
VU
VU
App.III
App.III
App.III
EN
App.II
App.II
EN
App.II
App.II
VU
App.II
App.II
App.II
App.II
App.II
App.II
App.II
App.II
VU
App.II
App.II
App.II
App.II
App.II
App.II
VU
App.II
App.II
App.II
App.II
App.II
App.II
App.II
App.II
App.II
App.II
App.II
App.II
App.II
App.II
App.II
App.II
EN
VU
App.II
App.II
EN
App.II
App.II
REPTILIA
Caretta caretta (Linnaeus, 1758)
AVES
MAMMALIA
Balaenoptera physalus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Delphinus delphis Linnaeus, 1758
597
App.II
App.II
CR
CR
CR
App.II
App.II
VU
VU
EN
App.II
App.II
VU
App.II
App.II
App.II
App.II
VU
App.II
App.II
VU
App.II
App.II
App.II
App.II
598
Edited by
Tuncer KATAAN Ege University
Adnan TOKA Ege University
kr BEKTEPE Dokuz Eyll University
Bayram ZTRK Istanbul University
Publication No: 41
Istanbul 2015
Bu kitabn btn haklar Trk Deniz Aratrmalar Vakfna aittir. zinsiz baslamaz, oatlamaz.
Kitapta bulunan makalelerin bilimsel sorumluluu yazarlara aittir.
All right are reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system,
or transmitted in any form by any means without the prior permission from the Turkish Marine
Research Foundation (TDAV). Authors are responsible for their articles conformity to scientific
rules.
Editor and Publisher cannot be held responsible for errors or any consequences arising from the
use of the information contained in this book; the views and opinions expressed do not necessarily
reflect those of Editors and Publisher.
Copyright: Trk Deniz Aratrmalar Vakf (Turkish Marine Research Foundation)
ISBN-978-975-8825-33-2
Citation:
Kataan, T., Toka, A., Beiktepe, ., ztrk, B. (Eds.) (2015). The Aegean Sea
Marine Biodiversity, Fisheries, Conservation and Governance. Turkish Marine
Research Foundation (TUDAV), Publication No: 41, Istanbul, TURKEY.
ii