The Project involves research on the changes in the marine ecosystem of Cilicia Basin, an area between the Turkish Republic (TR) and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) caused by human and/or natural effects.

The Project, which is organised to carry out research on the changes of the ecosystem of Cilicia Basin (an area that is between the TRNC and TR), and which will be administered by Prof Dr İlkay Salihoğlu, is receiving both moral and financial support by TÜBİTAK (The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey).
According to the press info release from the Directorate of Press and Public Relations of University of Kyrenia, the project will be carried out through the cooperation between University of Kyrenia and Environment, Atmosphere, Earth and Marine Sciences Group (ÇAYDAG) and is receiving full support from The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TÜBİTAK).

Chairman of the Board of Trustees of University of Kyrenia, Prof Dr İlkay Salihoğlu, drew attention to the significance of the project…

In the statement that the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of University of Kyrenia, Prof Dr İlkay Salihoğlu, made; he emphasized that the area between the Turkish republic (TR) and Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) carried geopolitical and economical significance for both countries.

The goals of the project will shed light on the future of that region…

Revealing the main goals of the project, which is intended to be completed over 36 months as: getting further understanding on the hydrodynamic structure of the area and making a comparison with previous data; identification of the interaction of biochemical and ecosystem dynamics with the physical structure; identification of the contribution of atmosphere-marine-land interaction to the ecosystem; the relative effects of human and natural changes on the ecosystem; the detection of the biological variety and identification of biotope structures in the coastal regions; identification of the “reference requirements” needed for “good environmental state” for the coastal and offshore regions; and identification of the current state of the pelagic fish variety and the biomass.

The data collected via the Project will be essential to meet the requirements of the EU criteria…

Moreover, Prof Dr İlkay Salihoğlu stressed that the data collected at the project will be essential and will serve as a scientific basis for the various future investments (such as nuclear power station, petrol and water pipelines, underwater electric and communication pipelines) and further added that the data of the project is expected to serve as a baseline for data which will later be collected in the coming years, enabling the tracking of changes over time. Prof Dr İlkay Salihoğlu further expressed the significance of the data which will be collected though this project; especially for the achievement of “good environmental/ecological level/status” criteria by 2020 involving the economical marine (coast/offshore) areas of EU countries.