MARINE LITTER WATCH ACTIVITIES

What is Marine Litter Monitoring Program-MLW (Marine Litter Watch)?

Marine litter is a substance that is left or thrown directly to the seas or produced by human beings transported by river, wind, storm and constitutes a permanent sea. Marine Litter is important to follow because it negatively affects marine life and recreational use and human health in that area and can often be transported by sea. The Marine Litter Monitoring Program (MLW) is a European Environment Agency initiative aimed at tackling marine litter monitoring and tackling the problem of marine litter, raising greater awareness of marine litter at the local level while empowering citizen communities to provide relevant data.

The European Environment Agency has decided to cooperate with FEE, which carries out the International Blue Flag Coordination, and wants to carry it out together with representative organizations in countries implementing the Blue Flag Program of the method developed by the Agency. In this context, our Foundation, representing our country, has decided to work as a pilot country for this practice.

What Are We Doing As FEE Turkey?

As TÜRÇEV, we are part of this study in order to increase the quality of coastal cleanup campaigns conducted for awareness purposes in accordance with the Blue Flag criteria, to increase the awareness of municipalities and campaigners about marine litter and its resources, to contribute to this study of the European Environment Agency by creating information about the situation of marine litter on the coasts of our country. We have been continuing our MLW activities since October 16 in order to prepare the ground for the Blue Flag Award and to create qualified beach services.

Who Are Our Stakeholders?

As of March 2021, we are continuing our work on a total of 9 beaches. You can find the list of our beaches below.

1. Aksu Municipality (Antalya) - Çardak Resort Location

2. Kemer Municipality (Antalya) - Kındılçeşme Picnic Area

3. Kocaeli Metropolitan Municipality & Kandıra Bld. - Kandira Sardala Bay

4. SARÇED-Sarıgerme Environmental Education Association (Muğla) - Sarıgerme Public Beach

5. Şile Municipality (Istanbul) - Uzunkum Beach

6. Didim Municipality (Aydın) - Fener Bay

7. Kumluca Municipality (Antalya) - Obalar District

8. Ula Municipality (Muğla) - Kermetur Beach

9. Yalova Municipality - Research Beach

What Is Our Method?

We apply the European Environment Agency Marine Litter Monitoring Program methodology. According to this methodology; The studies are carried out in places where municipalities or private enterprises cannot provide regular cleaning services and they are monitored and cleaned at the same location on the same beach 4 times a year / representing 4 seasons. Weights are measured where possible by categorizing and counting more than 200 types of collected wastes. Reports are processed by TÜRÇEV under the group name of Blue Flag Turkey in the European Environment Agency data system. We enter the data of municipalities that want to work with us into the system by writing the name of our stakeholders under the name Blue Flag Turkey.

Data for all countries can be viewed at https://www.eea.europa.eu/themes/water/europes-seas-and-coasts/assessments/marine-litterwatch/data-and-results/marine-litterwatch-data-viewer.

What Can You Do To Join Us?

If we have a branch in your city, you can contact our branch or Ankara Office. We would be happy to explain the implementation and reporting methodology to you. At the end of each activity, we will try to reach every segment of society by sharing photos and information via our social media accounts and our website.

We are waiting for you!

Follow our Instagram and Facebook accounts to see the details of the work.

@mavibayrakturkiye