Seagrass Conservation Project Launched

Türkiye İş Bankası and Türk Deniz Araştırmaları Vakfı (TÜDAV) Launch Project to Protect Seagrass Meadows in Marmara Sea Türkiye İş Bankası and Türk Deniz Araştırmaları Vakfı (TÜDAV) have launched the "Future of the Seas: Seagrass Meadows" project to protect Posidonia oceanica seagrass meadows that serve as oxygen reserves in the Marmara Sea. A press conference was held at İş Bankası Kuleleri in Levent with the participation of Gamze Yalçın, Deputy General Manager and Sustainability Leader at İş Bankası, and Prof. Dr. Bayram Öztürk, Chairman of TÜDAV. In her opening remarks, Yalçın stated that TÜDAV has signed numerous projects and initiatives over the past 26 years by establishing a scientific network for the protection of seas, ranging from monitoring ecological conditions to identifying problems and proposing solutions. Noting that seagrass meadows, which serve as oxygen reserves for the seas, are increasingly declining due to pollution and lack of awareness on the subject, Yalçın continued: "Just as protecting our forests, which are the lungs of our planet, is important for leaving a better world to future generations, preserving seagrass meadows is equally critical. Seagrass meadows are in the position of being the lungs of the seas because they have oxygen production capacity and provide habitat for marine organisms. In the work to be carried out on this matter, increasing awareness and consciousness of seagrass meadows in society is as important as the project itself." Yalçın noted that they incorporate sustainability at the highest level and among strategic priorities in their business plans to contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, and emphasized that the targets under item 14 of these goals, "Life Below Water," are important for Turkey, which is surrounded by seas on three sides. Recording that they have made contributing to increased scientific knowledge and development of research capacity on this goal one of their main objectives, Yalçın recalled that in cooperation with the Institute of Marine Sciences under Middle East Technical University (ODTÜ), they put into use the unmanned underwater glider device Sea Explorer, used for the first time in Turkey.

"Hosts many organisms"

Prof. Dr. Öztürk drew attention to research on the economic benefits that seagrass meadows provide to the ecosystem, noting that this species' contribution exceeds the benefits provided by agricultural areas, and provided the following information: "Posidonia leaves that reach the end of their lifespan create berms on the shore through currents and waves. These structures protect the shoreline, prevent erosion, and enable many marine organisms to survive. Posidonia oceanica also creates dense meadows on the sea floor, hosting many organisms on top of it and serving as a food source for herbivorous organisms. In addition to all this, it provides habitat for many organisms in terms of shelter, protection, spawning and reproduction. Through its carbon sequestration properties, it also combats climate change." Emphasizing that seagrass meadows face serious threats due to damage resulting from heavy coastal use, including domestic and industrial waste, fishing through ground-scanning methods, anchors dropped by ships and boats, aquaculture activities, tourism and daily tourist activities, Öztürk noted that through the project they have implemented, the boundaries of the seagrass meadow areas in Paşalimanı Island, connected to Erdek district in Balıkesir, which was selected as the pilot region, will be determined and mapped.

Öztürk, stating that the project will last two years, continued:

"From the regions where meadows exist, foreign species, particularly the invasive sea hare species, will be collected through diving operations and the ecosystem will be left to its native inhabitants. Species diversity will be revealed, feasibility studies for buoys and mapping will be conducted to ensure seagrass meadow areas are recognized and noticed, and 'ghost nets' that fishermen are forced to leave in the sea because they get caught on rocks on the sea floor while fishing will be cleaned up." Adding that they will provide awareness training in 30 schools at primary and secondary education levels within the scope of the project, Öztürk stated, "Protecting the last remaining seagrass meadows in the Marmara is a responsibility we have to future generations, and we are making efforts to do this."

One hectare of Posidonia oceanica seagrass meadows sequesters 1,024 tonnes of carbon annually

Posidonia oceanica, an endemic species of seagrass meadows, grows in the Mediterranean at temperatures between 11 and 29 degrees Celsius, in salty and clean water at depths of 0 to 45 metres. These flowering plants, which enrich water with oxygen through photosynthesis; with their long leaves, horizontally spreading stems and roots, they retain suspended loads in water and sedimentation and regulate sea floor movements. Posidonia oceanica seagrass meadows found in 1 square metre can produce 14 litres of oxygen per day, while 1 hectare can sequester 1,024 tonnes of carbon annually.   Source