Turkey announces two new national marine parks in Aegean and Mediterranean

On August 15, 2026, Turkey formally established two national marine parks in the Northeast Aegean and the Eastern Mediterranean through presidential decrees signed by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. The first park is located between Fethiye and Kaş, effectively surrounding the maritime area near the Greek island of Kastellorizo. The second park is situated near the Turkish coasts of Tekirdağ and Çanakkale, extending into waters between the Greek islands of Samothrace and Lemnos. Turkish officials argue the move aligns with international law and is intended to protect the marine environment, citing their maritime spatial planning submitted to UNESCO in 2025.

Greece has officially rejected the declaration, with the Foreign Ministry stating that the move has no legal effect as the parks extend into international waters and areas of the Greek continental shelf. Athens maintains that no state has the right to unilaterally designate protected areas beyond its national jurisdiction. While Ankara claims these measures are purely environmental and part of its 'Blue Homeland' strategy, Greece views them as an attempt to project authority over contested maritime zones and create new geopolitical realities in the region.