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Page Updated:
25-Sep-2006
SPS Homepage > Studies & Projects > Index of the PS
Ecosystem modelling of Coastal Lagoons
for Sustainable Management (Phase II)
The first phase of NATO-CCMS Pilot Study on “Ecosystem modelling of Coastal Lagoons for Sustainable Management” was initiated in 1995 and finalized in year 2000. Within these five years, 8 workshops were held; among which three of them were arranged in Turkey (1995, 1997, 2000), and once in USA (1996), Poland (1998), Portugal (1998), Romania (1999) and Spain (1999). Members of local and central authorities together with university staff of host countries have also participated in the workshops where the problems have been discussed among scientists, practitioners and decision-makers in many aspects.
Turkey acted as the Pilot Study Director and USA as Co-Pilot Study Director where Canada, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Poland, Russian Federation and Romania were the main participants and Lithuania, Ukraine, Turkmenistan and Kyrgyzstan attended as observer countries during the first phase of the Pilot Study. Within the first 3 years of the study (1995-1998) members of the participating countries presented studies on their national lagoons. The main problems and difficulties regarding sustainable management have been put forth and discussed. The followings are the main conclusions of the Phase I study:
- Lagoons are the most valuable components of coastal areas in terms of both ecosystem and natural capital. Surrounding areas of lagoons provide excellent opportunities for agriculture and tourism sectors on the one hand and for fishery and aquatic products sectors on the other hand. One of the basic aims of the Pilot Study is to put forth a balance to avoid any value loss.
- The concept of sustainable management of lagoons is either not clearly understood or not applied still. Thus, various environmental difficulties (e.g. dissolved oxygen deficit, variation in trophic structure, eutrophication, aquatic toxicity, filling of lagoons or clogging of channels) are faced in the lagoons of the participating countries and these problems directly affect the utility of the lagoons and their vicinities, leading to important value loss in tourism, agriculture, fishery and aquatic products sectors. Even if no protective measures are to be taken in the cleaner lagoons where no such adverse effects are observed, similar effects may be inevitable as a result of rapid growth. Therefore, a special emphasis must be given to the concept of decision-making and to sustainable management in the Pilot Study. Experience gained from applications and existing knowledge related to these concepts must be put forth.
- The use of models as important tools in management has not been experienced yet or utilised in a limited manner (e.g. to investigate hydrodynamic behaviour, sedimentation or fish growth). There is a great need to develop integrated models considering the hydrodynamic and ecological structure of lagoons and to use the findings obtained from the model during decision-making period. In order to realise these concepts, existing knowledge on hydrodynamics and ecology of lagoons must be investigated in detail and lacking information must be searched.
- Various models are developed by many research groups and are being utilised. It is very important to select the appropriate one and to make modifications depending on the special conditions of lagoons. Mistakes to be made in this selection may cause unrecoverable conditions during the decision of necessary precautions to be taken according to model findings. In the Pilot Study, these subjects must be investigated in detail, discussed and results must be shared within all countries.
A book prepared within the last two years and under publication process contains all the results of the Phase I studies. The fundamentals, methods to be used and methodology of ecosystem modelling of coastal lagoons for sustainable management are given in the book. However, none of the participating countries have so far conducted an overall study covering all the items stated in the book on lagoon management in an integrated manner. Therefore the participants have agreed that there exists a necessity to realise such a study to verify the methodology reported in the book. The participants altogether decided that this study should be continued in the form of a second phase by giving a proposal to NATO-CCMS.
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