Fethiye-Kaş Marine National Park established in Turkey

A new marine area covering 2,170,603 hectares off the coasts of Fethiye in Muğla and Kaş in Antalya has been officially declared the ‘Fethiye-Kaş Marine National Park’. The decision was published in the Official Gazette following a decree signed by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

This designation, alongside the creation of the North Aegean Marine National Park, represents a significant step for the protection of marine ecosystems in Turkey. Prof. Dr. Yakup Kaska, Director of the Sea Turtle Research, Rescue and Rehabilitation Center (DEKAMER), stated that these new parks offer a vital opportunity to protect interconnected marine ecosystems, particularly for sea turtles.

The Fethiye-Kaş Marine National Park and the North Aegean Marine National Park together encompass approximately 2.34 million hectares. Management of the Fethiye-Kaş area will be handled by the Muğla and Antalya Nature Conservation and National Parks directorates and their respective regional offices.