Determining coastal zone boundaries and related issues in Turkey


Cete M., DEMIR O., UZUN B.

PROCEEDINGS OF THE INSTITUTION OF CIVIL ENGINEERS-MARITIME ENGINEERING, vol.164, no.2, pp.71-80, 2011 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier

Abstract

Turkey is surrounded by three seas: the Black Sea to the north, the Aegean Sea to the west and the Mediterranean Sea to the south. The total length of coastline is 8333 km. Therefore, the coasts are one of the country's most important natural resources. This resource, which is under population pressure due to urbanisation, industrialisation, tourism and secondary housing, requires effective management. The first stage of coastal management is the determination of coastal boundaries; in Turkey, this raises a number of issues requiring solutions. These issues include: inappropriate coastal uses as a result of regulations that have changed over time; a lack of defined scientific criteria for determining the boundaries; the majority of coastal boundaries are undetermined; carrying out boundary determinations after multiple adjudications in the same area; and inconsistencies between existing and cadastral maps. Immediate solutions for these issues are required to enable sustainable use of the coasts. This paper introduces the main principles of Turkish coastal use and describes the changes experienced in coastal boundary determinations over time. In addition, it discusses the issues faced in determining coastal zone boundaries and provides some recommendations.