EVALUATION OF MARINE LITTER MANAGEMENT PRACTICES IN COASTS AND SEAS OF TURKEY

The current study discussed marine waste management practices in Turkey in terms of legal and institutional frameworks. In addition, proposals have been made to assess issues regarding the marine litter in Turkey. The current state of data on the sources, causes, quantities, and distribution of marine litter at the regional level in Turkey is quite poor. However, it is clear that improved coordination of monitoring programs would benefit all. Wider sharing of the data produced should be essential. In Turkey, marine environmental monitoring is complex, since existing monitoring is divided between many ministries, universities, local governmental bodies, and NGOs. Some of the monitoring is routine and repeated on a regular basis, while other work is project-based, and thus it has limited sustainability. One of the key priority elements for a successful implementation of marine litter management is the establishment of an effective framework for coordination and cooperation among national, regional, and local authorities.