How a Turkish bay came back from the brink of ecological collapse

Turkey’s Gulf of Gökova has recovered from near ecological collapse due to sustained conservation, including the area’s designation as Turkey’s first marine protected area in 2010. EU figures show about 85% of fish stocks in the Mediterranean and Black Seas are overfished, making the gulf’s rebound notable. Today, roughly 73% of Turkey’s fish species inhabit its waters, and the gulf serves as a breeding ground for the Mediterranean monk seal. A key driver is Zafer Kızılkaya’s Mediterranean Conservation Society, which trains local rangers to patrol 28 square kilometres with speedboats, bodycams and surveillance gear, reporting violations to the coastguard 16 nautical miles away. Bottom trawling remains controversial, though some argue technology reduces seabed damage.