Yolda has published a new book showcasing the results of a two-year marine spatial prioritization study.
Yolda has published a new book showcasing the results of a two-year marine spatial prioritization study — among the first at this geographical scale — applying a seascape approach that integrates biodiversity conservation with sustainable small-scale fisheries (SSFs).
Mobilising all relevant actors through a participatory process and bringing together two datasets on Biodiversity and Small-scale Fisheries (SSFs), the overall aim of this study was to pinpoint areas that:
• are important for both biodiversity and sustainable small-scale fisheries,
• are more threatened compared to others, and
• have received little or no conservation investment to date.
These priority areas—where optimum biodiversity outcomes can be achieved while sustaining small-scale fisheries at the lowest cost—are concentrated in three regions: Saros Bay, Ayvalık, and Ildır Bay, with Saros Bay standing out due to its larger coverage.
Hence, based on these scientific findings, Yolda has already initiated the development and implementation of an inclusive, long-term Conservation and Restoration Programme for Saros Bay, in collaboration with small-scale fishers and other regional and national actors.