11.7 Environmental considerations

Lagoons are marginal environments, the full understanding of which requires large hydraulic and biological data sets. Their biological simplicity – scarce species diversity and large numbers of few species - is only apparent, since small alterations of ecological components may have a much greater effect on the ecosystem due to the coexistence of a higher number of limiting conditions when compared with more stable habitats.

Being an empirically developed human activity, managing a lagoon for fishing is a business that is a great deal more complicated and difficult than operating an intensive fish farm, to which a lagoon system is often linked (Miller, Pietrafesa and Smit, 1990).
As a rule, interventions aimed at restoring a degraded environment and improving its marketable resources require an extensive information background, a cost-benefit analysis of the proposed measures, a mathematical model to confirm the feasibility of the proposed hydraulic actions, and a serious assessment of environmental impact. Moreover, the restoration of a lagoon is a far-reaching task that involves many agents that are not always perceptible as being linked to the lagoon environment.
The following recommendations summarize the necessary steps that should be taken at various levels to assure a brighter future for the remaining Turkish lagoons. With the obvious adaptations, these proposals apply to the entire lagoon system of the Mediterranean since its populations, although different by origin and traditions, show a strikingly similar attitude towards the exploitation of coastal wet areas. There are a series of fundamental causes of wetland destruction and degradation in Turkey, as well as several other immediate factors that adversely affect wetlands.

Due to their basic importance for a real preservation of the environment over the long term, they are fully endorsed by the current studies. The effects of their possible acceptance obviously go far beyond the scope of which embraces the preservation of the lagoon system. However, it is only through such structural interventions at the level of public awareness, political will and technical issues that the environment can be preserved, and with it the quality of life, which stands as the final goal of any environmental policy.

Appropriate planning of the wetlands

The bodies in charge of land-use planning for wetlands should be improved and made more effective when addressing the task of harmonizing social growth, population increase and lagoon exploitation in a sustainable manner.
Possible solutions entail: (a) the enhancement of their technical capabilities by the upgrading of the available qualified staff and technical facilities; (b) the improvement of co-ordination and co operation with related bodies involved in the planning process, as well as between local and central authorities; and (c) better identification of the target wetland areas and catchment basins, considered as a whole. The complexity of the approach required by an exhaustive analysis could limit the planning capacity assigned to local authorities, who may not be provided with the skills and expertise required. A multi-sectoral planning approach is recommended, as well as the involvement of local populations.
Increasing public and political awareness of wetlands value
The creation of environmental awareness among populations should be promoted at every social level, starting from the first steps by way of teaching courses through the educational system. A widespread and growing environmental consciousness attitude would have a better chance of influencing political will, thereby spurring it towards such environment-friendly decisions as to fully benefit people with the common value of wetland areas.

Harmonization and upgrading of environmental legislation

The existing legislation concerning the environment should be revised and updated to meet fully the environmental challenges faced by wetlands. Pollution control regulations should be backed up by other legal issues more specifically linked to its prevention and sustainable management of renewable resources. The legal arrangements on environmental conservation should be harmonized and amended to rectify any intrinsic contrast or repetition. By making them clearer and unequivocal, the practical difficulties for their implementation would be reduced.

Financial policies

The value of wetlands in general – and of lagoons in particular – extends well beyond the immediate economic gain from fishing and other activities such as cattle grazing, hunting or leisure, and includes indirect use through their environmental services and non-use or preservation values. Any financial policy involved in the development of lagoon areas should consider the above issues.

Legislative basis for sustainable development

A legislative basis through which a sustainable development may be carried out should be set up, in accordance with the Agenda 21 Action Plan adopted upon the 1992 Rio Environment and Development Conference, which has a binding nature for the countries.
Enforcement of the existing legislation
Greater efforts are recommended to provide the necessary means to ensure the enforcement of the restrictions provided for under the applicable legislations. This is true particularly in the case of hunting, where wardens are scarce and ill equipped to provide an effective service.

Coordination of lagoon-resource management

A coastal lagoon committee with the responsibility for central co-ordination is believed to be of great usefulness for guiding the management of wet areas. Its main targets would be of guidance, supervision and control of every action involving the lagoon heritage. It should gather and manage a constantly updated informative system, with links to other bodies at the national and international level.
An association of lagoon tenants is seen as a further step towards reaching a completely shared awareness and consciousness of the various interests involved in lagoon management. This association can favour the feasibility of common objectives through shared means, aiming at a constant improvement of the environmental and productive conditions. This association would greatly benefit from having well-established relations with professional associations of fish farmers at the national and international level.

Lagoon environment rehabilitation

Freshwater supply

An adequate supply of clean freshwater should be granted to lagoons. The amount should be tentatively based on the required salinity values acceptable for the target species, whether they be fish, waterfowl or cattle, depending on the exploitation plan designed for each lagoon. In setting the needs, the water balance, renewal rate through the pass (or passes) and ground water availability should all be taken into consideration.
If a continuous supply cannot be assured, the option of transforming part of a lagoon into a freshwater reservoir should be evaluated, taking into account the possible effects on the surrounding lowland (marsh) area. As far as possible, water should not come from agriculture drainage networks due to its load of agrochemicals and sediments. Only where adequate treatment has proved to reduce contamination to a minimum should such a freshwater source be considered. Conversely, any surplus of irrigation water exceeding the requirements for crops would be acceptable, and re-planning of existing irrigation schemes should be considered in order to gain as much clean water as possible to recover the water balance of wet areas.
Water from rivers should be analyzed prior to its use for the lagoons water renewal since it is frequently contaminated with domestic and industrial wastes and certain sediment content. Where good environmental conditions of the flowing water are found, a stable connection with the lagoon should be secured, which ideally should be governable with effective devices. At the same time, there should be a better use of the irrigation water to reduce waste and losses. Cooperation with the General Directorate of State Hydraulic Woks (DSI) in this area should be enhanced at every level.

Seawater supply

With some noticeable exceptions, a sea communication (pass) should be provided, depending on the lagoons' dimensions, their planned fishing production and the recognized need of a better colonization by marine organisms. Any action aimed at opening or restoring the existing pass should be preceded by a mathematical model that will ensure the adequate design and assess the impact on the hydro-dynamism at the sea and lagoon levels. Such studies should also be backed up by favorable cost-benefit analysis. Large lagoons, high production rates or special rehabilitation needs may justify the making of one (or more) permanent channels protected by rip-rap breakwaters at their seaward mouth. The construction of such structures, although costly and "heavy", represents the final solution to the need of a permanent opening to the sea and their additional benefits include reduced maintenance and a long effective lifetime.

Water circulation

Better water circulation should be provided if it appears limited by geomorphologic (shallowness) or biological (dense coverage of aquatic plants) factors. The excavation of a central ditch of an appropriate size, connecting the mouth of the lagoon with its inner part, would be recommendable.
The cutting of reeds and aquatic plants along an appropriate pattern of preferential waterways departing from the inflow or branching main internal channels would favour circulation without excessive investment. For interconnected water bodies, the opening or widening of communicating channels would improve overall circulation and water exchange. The orientation of the new channels should be planned depending on the prevailing wind directions.

Sedimentation

The continuous discharge of sediments into a lagoon should be halted or reduced to sustainable levels. In the absence of the recommended measures to counter soil erosion, the adoption of settling ponds could provide relief to the problem. Their maintenance has to be assured to ensure their working capacity over time. An excessive submerged plant growth due to fertilizer inflows should be controlled to reduce the amount of organic debris contributing to the sedimentation process. Boats equipped with weed mowers could be used for this purpose.

Coastal erosion

The erosion of the sandbars and dunes separating lagoons from the sea must be stopped to avoid the evolution of the lagoon in a bay. Since this usually happens when the river sediment load is reduced or cancelled by the settling action of upstream dams, actions should be taken to reintroduce these sediments in the last river tract. For the same reason, sand extraction from the riverbed has to be stopped.
The design of new dams should consider the possible effects on the shoreline up to a suitable distance from the river outlet. From this point of view, the construction of the Kayraktepe Barrage on the Goksu River, the only undammed river in this part of the Mediterranean, would probably cause the disappearance of the unique configuration of its delta over the next 40–50 years. The installation of groins to reduce beach erosion could be envisaged in the higher-risk cases.

Agrochemical pollution

Any effort to promote a more rational use of agrochemicals should be made by government authorities at national and local levels. As long as farmers follow the principle “the more water, fertilizer, pesticide we use, the better our crops will grow”, public authorities must deal with the situation by setting limits and educating people as to the benefits of more reasonable and responsible attitudes. The final success of such education will, however, depend on a reliable assessment and monitoring of the pollution situation, to which therefore a very high priority level must be allocated.
Within certain limits, the introduction of nutrients may not be a totally negative factor per se. If properly managed, the lagoon environment is highly efficient as a nutrient trap and in recycling them into biomass. However, agriculture nutrients washed out by run-off and drainage waters are associated with toxicants whose effects on the lagoon biota are clearly negative. For the same reason, the air-spraying of insecticides should be avoided in areas used for agriculture close to lagoons.

Other pollution

Industrial wastewaters and domestic sewage must be prevented from entering all lagoons, both directly and via the drainage inflow. In some parts of the Turkish coastline, sea pollution is raising growing concern. This problem should be given high priority.

Settlements

In principle, holiday housing and tourist resorts should be carefully avoided within the boundaries of the lagoon area and near connection passes. The ban does not include the central facilities for the lagoon fishing operations. To provide a true deterrent, provisions should be made for illegally constructed buildings to be pulled down and economic sanctions levied. According to the development model adopted, appropriate soft infrastructure may be allowed for eco-tourism initiatives.

Flooding

The risk of flooding from nearby rivers or drainage network, although always present, should be prevented as much as possible by the construction of embankments and other preventive facilities along the most affected water streams.

Lagoon environment monitoring

An adequate ecological monitoring of lagoons should be implemented to provide a complete assessment of the modifications likely to be caused by the proposed rehabilitation measures. Monitoring programmes should include both physico-chemical and biological aspects so that measured biological responses can be related to specific environmental parameters and/or physical modifications. They should rely on the implementation of thorough inter-calibration exercises.

Other activities in the lagoon environment

Hunting control

Illegal hunting practice in protected wetland is not admissible and must be stopped. The existing prohibitions have to be enforced and adequate means must be provided (wardens, vehicles, communication devices, etc.).

Upgrading the protection status

Since most of the protection levels granted to wetlands imply only a ban on hunting, it would be preferable to reclassify most sensitive areas by upgrading their protection status.

Ecotourism

The development of ecologically and socially sound types of tourism in more or less undisturbed natural protected lagoon areas, although complex to set up and manage, should be evaluated for selected sites. Its top priorities should include:
• minimizing negative environmental impacts; and
• preventing socio-cultural side effects and processes of cultural erosion and using its revenues to contribute to funding conservation.

Cattle grazing control

Uncontrolled grazing should be replaced by planned pasture areas exploited on a rotational system to prevent the destruction of vegetation coverage and to decrease soil erosion. Here, local authorities and cattle breeders should fully co-operate to work out feasible solutions.

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