Page 266 - 7. State Of Environment Report Of Türkiye

F.1.8.1. Marine Mammals in the Seas of Türkiye

Marine mammals are one of the most important groups of marine organisms in Türkiye. There
are 11 species of marine mammals in Turkish waters. Although there are 21 cetacean species
living in the Mediterranean Sea, only 3 of them live in the Black Sea. It is stated that the Mediter-
ranean monk seal (Monachus monachus) has not been seen in the Black Sea since 1994. Hunting
of all marine mammals has been banned since 1983.

F.1.9. Turkish Islands and Island Biodiversity

There are approximately 500 islands and islets within the borders of Türkiye. 212 islands and is-
lets are located in the Aegean Sea. Some of the islands have rich biological diversity and endemic
species, some of them are isolated areas away from human intervention, providing a living and
breeding environment for many species, helping to protect both marine and terrestrial biodi-
versity and hosting threatened marine mammals, seabirds and amphibians such as the Medi-
terranean Monk Seal.

The islands also have an important role as stopover sites for birds during bird migration. Thou-
sands of birds stay here every year. The Aegean Islands are the habitat and breeding grounds of
the globally endangered Audouin’s Gull (Larus Audouinii). The Aegean Islands are the nesting
and breeding grounds of many birds such as Yelkouan Shearwaters (Puffinus Yelkouan), Audou-
in’s Gull (Larus Audouinii), Eleonora’s Falcon (Falco Eleonorae) and Osprey (Pandion Haliaetus).
For these reasons, small islands are considered as priority areas for protection.

F.2. Biodiversity Conservation Studies

F.2.1. Studies carried out within the scope of CITES

On 22 December 1996, Türkiye became a party to the Convention on International Trade in En-
dangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which entered into force on 01 March 1975.

The 184 signatories to the Convention have undertaken to comply with the obligations set out
in this Convention in the international trade (import, export, re-export, entry by sea) of plant
and animal species listed in Annex I, Annex II, Annex III of the Convention. Within the scope of
this convention, legislative measures were taken in Türkiye and the “By-law on the Implemen-
tation of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora”
entered into force after being published in the Official Gazette dated 27 December 2001 and
numbered 24623, and the said By-law was revised by being published in the Official Gazette
dated 20.07.2019 and numbered 30837.

CITES Management Authorities are the institutions that issue permits. The CITES Management
Authority in Türkiye is the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MoAF). MoAF General Directorate
of Nature Conservation and National Parks is the Focal Point of the CITES Convention and en-
sures coordination between the Convention Secretariat and relevant institutions. It also carries
out tasks such as reporting and training.

In accordance with the provisions of the Convention, Türkiye is in Category A because it has pre-
pared the CITES National Implementation By-law in accordance with the Convention within 5

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