Page 199 - 7. State Of Environment Report Of Türkiye

In addition, in 2023, in order to determine the causes and consequences of the intensive incre-
ase of jellyfish, especially invasive species, in the Marmara Sea due to reasons such as mucilage,
climate change and pollution, and the necessary measures, the “Project for Investigation of the
Causes and Consequences of Jellyfish Increases in the Marmara Sea (MarmANA)” Phase I was
carried out. The data obtained from the project were shared with non-governmental organi-
zations and the scientific community at a meeting held at Istanbul University on 22 December
2023.
As of 2024, the “Marmara Sea Jellyfish Increase Research-Phase 2 Project”, which is planned as
the 2 stage of the mentioned project, and the “Project for Determination of Seagrass Distribu-
nd
tion Areas in the Marmara Sea” on seagrasses in the Marmara Sea within the scope of combating
marine pollution and mucilage. The project aims to determine the distribution areas, terrestrial
pressure and protection strategies in this direction.
Likewise, the “Pina (Pinna nobilis) Conservation and Monitoring Project in the Sea of Marmara”
was initiated in order to determine the conservation strategy for the Pina Mussel (Pinna nobilis)
species, which is critically endangered and has an important role in the cleaning of sea water by
filtering 6 litres of water per hour, which has disappeared as a result of mass deaths throughout
the Mediterranean Sea and is found to live only in the Sea of Marmara.

C.5.3.3. Determination of Point Pollution Loads in Marmara Sea Basin (MAR-AAT)
MAR-AAT Project was carried out in 2021 with the participation of representatives of MoEUCC,
Provincial Directorates of MoEUCC, 5 Universities (Istanbul Technical University, Yıldız Technical
University, Konya Technical University, Bursa Technical University, Gebze Technical University)
and Water and Sewerage Administration in order to determine the point pollution caused by
wastewater in the Marmara Sea Basin.
Within the scope of the project, 445 domestic/urban and industrial wastewater treatment
plants with a capacity of over 50 m out of 691 active wastewater treatment plants in the Mar-
3
mara Sea basin were examined on-site, and,
y Their current status has been determined,
y Needs analyses were made,
y Pollution loads caused by wastewater coming to the Marmara Sea have been revealed.

C.5.4 Lake Van Basin Protection Action Plan and Lake Van Protection Implementation
Programme
In order to ensure the protection and sustainable use of Lake Van, the Lake Van Basin Protection
Action Plan and Implementation Programme, consisting of 3 main activities and 13 sub-activi-
ties to achieve these main activities, was established in 2020 with the approval of the relevant
institutions under the coordination of the MoEUCC, and monitoring studies are ongoing.
Activities for 13 activities defined within the scope of the action plan are ongoing and develop-
ments are reported to the Presidency on a quarterly basis. In addition, 5 coordination meetings
were held in the basin in order to evaluate the problems encountered in implementation and
solutions.
In addition, within the scope of the Action Plan, “Cooperation Protocol for Improvement of Was-
tewater and Municipal Waste Management Services within the Scope of Lake Van Basin Protec-
tion Action Plan” was signed on 6 November 2023 with the participation of relevant institutions
/ organizations in order to improve wastewater and municipal waste management services, to
support the rehabilitation and cleaning of streams, and to share training and experience in order
to ensure the protection and sustainability of the basin.

198