Turkey’s Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change Minister Murat Kurum has announced plans to remove 16 million cubic metres of accumulated seabed mud from Fethiye Gulf over the next three years.
Speaking in Fethiye, Kurum said the project would cover an area of around 600 hectares. Two dredging vessels will be used to remove the accumulated sediment and help restore the inner part of the gulf.
Protecting Fethiye and Göcek Bays
Kurum said decades of intensive use, uncontrolled anchoring and sediment accumulation had put pressure on the rich marine ecosystem of Fethiye Gulf.
As part of the project, 926 fixed mooring buoys and 906 concrete mooring blocks have been installed across the Göcek and Dalaman bays. A new digital system called DERİA will also allow boat owners to see available mooring points and make reservations.
The system is designed to reduce uncontrolled anchoring, which can damage seagrass meadows and other marine life on the seabed.
Fethiye Gulf to Reach 3.4 Metres Average Depth
Kurum said the dredging operation would remove the accumulated mud from approximately 600 hectares of the inner gulf.
Once the three year project is completed, the government expects the inner Fethiye Gulf to reach an average water depth of 3.4 metres.
The minister described the project as part of Turkey’s wider environmental campaign, referring to similar efforts in the Gulf of İzmit, İzmir Gulf and Lake Eğirdir.
Environmental Projects to Be Highlighted at COP31
Turkey will host COP31 from 9 to 20 November. Kurum said the country would use the climate summit to present its environmental projects, including the Fethiye Gulf restoration, the mooring system and seabed mud removal.
He said Turkey aimed not only to set environmental targets but also to demonstrate projects already being implemented on the ground.
