Bern Convention

Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats

This complaint was submitted by MEDASSET – the Mediterranean Association to Save the Sea Turtles in 2012 on the conservation status of the sea turtle nesting beaches in Patara and Fethiye.

These sites were, according to the complainant, deteriorated through the uncontrolled development of the site including the construction of summer house buildings and coastal roads, intense light pollution, the erosion of the sand dunes and coastal forests, fishing, etc. The beaches are considered as major nesting sites for the Mediterranean loggerhead (Caretta caretta) sea turtle, which is protected under Appendix II of the Bern Convention.

According to the on-the-spot appraisal carried out in 2015 in Patara and Fethiye, there are anthropogenic influences on both the nesting habitat and the reproductive activity of the sea turtles. Moreover, legislative environmental framework of the Ministry of Environment seems inadequate to ensure the necessary protection of Specially Protected Areas (SPAs).The nesting habitat in Patara appears in a very good condition, whereas the nesting habitat in Fethiye is degraded from low to high levels depending on the coastal tract. The anthropogenic threats affecting the reproductive activity of sea turtles are still spatially limited in Patara, but the threats occurring on the Fethiye beach are very high including objects affecting the nesting activity such as umbrellas and sunbeds, light pollution, or human presence on the beach by night.

The Standing Committee recommended in 2015 among other management measures that the nesting beaches should receive appropriate legal protection and management, in line with their exceptional natural and ecological value as well as enforcement and implementation of strict regulations such as the prohibition of further development on the beach or the removal of abandoned illegal facilities.

At the 43rd Standing Committee in 2023, following a couple of years of talks with stakeholders of the concerned Mediterannean countries, a Guidance Tool on Conservation of sea turtles nesting sites was endorsed by the Standing Committee.

N.B. This is the follow-up of a previous case (1993/1 Caretta caretta in Patara, Türkiye) that opened in 1996 and closed in 2001 which resulted in the adoption of Recommendation No. 66 (1998) on the conservation status of some nesting beaches for marine turtles in Türkiye by the Standing Committee.

 Key Timeline

• 2012 - Case registration
• 2013 - Opening of Case
• 2015 - OSA and Recommendations No. 182 and 183

 Other countries possibly concerned

• N/A

 Other international organisations involved

• N/A

 Documents

OSA report and recommendation

Regular reports to the Bureau and/or Standing Committee

Please note that all reports received by a Party during one calendar year are included in one single report for that year. Some older reports are not available in digital form.

Other information / documents