Coastal Zone Problems and Environmental Strategies to be Implemented at Edremit Bay, Turkey EMEL IRTEM* Department of Civil Engineering Balikesir University 10145 Cagis, Balikesir, Turkey SEDAT KABDASLI Civil Engineering Faculty Istanbul Technical University Ayazaga Campus 80626 Maslak, Istanbul, Turkey NURI AZBAR Bioengineering Department Ege University 35100 Bornova, Izmir, Turkey ABSTRACT / This case study examines the coastal zone problems focusing on the existing conflicts between tourism and commercial activities on the coasts of Edremit Bay, Turkey, and attempts to suggest solutions to these problems. Edremit Bay is a characteristic example of such a conflict in collective use of natural resources. The study area, with its 100-km-long sandy beach, naturally attracts different coastal user groups with different beneficial expectations: in terms of rest and recreation for one group and commercial gain offered in a variety of ways for another group. Significant coastal zone problems exist in the study area. Deterioration ofshorelineduetotourismactivitiesandillegalconstructions, damage to the coastal ecosystem due to domestic/industrial wastewater discharges and some agricultural activities, and disorderedurbanizationareonlyafewofthemanyproblems. The data presented here were partly derived from field study and partly collected from local state or private organizations. In this study, it is emphasized that there is a need for viable economic and environmental strategies to be designated in Edremit Bay, Turkey, in order toprovide sustainable resource use. For this purpose, an integrated project together with a relevant planning chart including subprojects is also sug- gested. The success of a local environmental protection management project depends on active participation of all stakeholders including governmental organizations and nongovernmental organizations. Coastal zones are valuable natural resources con- taining important ecosystems and supporting many organisms, whose extinction may affect the whole marine environment. The coastal zone is also a very important nesting and breeding ground for many res- ident and migrating birds. Littoral zones and their natural resources are strongly attractive to humans. The coastal zone in most countries has been subjected to severe and increasing pressure as a result of con- flicting uses such as rapid urbanization, environmental pollution, tourism development, and other coastal activities as in Edremit Bay, Turkey. Serving mostly for recreational purposes and providing significant eco- nomical benefits, these activities have potential harm- ful outcomes for the coastal environment as well. Therefore, it is crucial to designate both environmen- tally sound and economically viable coastal manage- ment strategies that would ensure minimum environmental deterioration and maximum attainable protection while benefiting from the blessing of nature (Widmer-Scherer 2001). Coastal zones providing a natural environment for many living species also offer a central location for industrial and tourism-driven commercial activities. More than half of the population of Turkey lives in the coastal zones (Atalay 2000). Environmental deteriora- tions linked with aforementioned coastal activities are evident along the 8,333-km- long coastline that sur- rounds three sides of Turkey. Edremit is at risk of reaching an irreversible point where serious negative effects of environmental pollution are inevitable. Ed- remit Bay is one of the most interesting and dramatic examples of an area experiencing various environ- mental deteriorations mentioned above. Pollution from domestic and industrial discharges (mainly olive oil mill effluent), unprocessed disposal of municipal solid wastes, basin and coastal erosion, and destruction of olive trees as a result of disordered urbanization are believed to be the main environmental problems in the study area. KEY WORDS: Edremit Bay; Coastal zone problems; Integrated project; Olive oil production; Tourism activities; Urbanization; Turkey Published online j *Author to whom correspondence should be addressed; email: mirtem@balikesir.edu.tr Environmental Management Vol. 36, No. 1, pp. 37–47 ª 2005 Springer Science+Business Media, Inc. DOI: 10.1007/s00267-004-0062-5