29.05.2026 12:01
With the start of the sea turtle nesting season, a nighttime beach entry ban has been implemented on 21 protected beaches in Turkey. On beaches such as İztuzu, Patara, and Çıralı, fines of 699,245 TL for individuals and over 2 million lira for institutions will be imposed on those who violate the rules.
The nesting season has opened for the Caretta caretta and Chelonia mydas species of sea turtles, which are on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, on the Mediterranean beaches. The process, which begins each year at the end of April or in May, continues until the end of September, with adult turtles coming ashore to lay eggs, and from mid-July, hatchlings emerging from nests and reaching the sea. Turkey's Mediterranean coasts constitute the largest nesting beaches for sea turtles in the Mediterranean.
21 NESTING BEACHES IN TURKEY The largest nesting areas in Turkey are located in Antalya. The 30-kilometer Belek beach is considered the largest nesting area in both Turkey and the Mediterranean. In Turkey, there are 21 sea turtle nesting beaches in the provinces of Muğla, Mersin, Adana, and Hatay, with 9 of them in Antalya. These beaches are as follows: Ekincik, Dalyan, Dalaman, Fethiye, Patara, Kale, Kumluca, Olimpos-Çıralı, Tekirova, Belek, Kızılot, Demirtaş, Gazipaşa, Anamur, Göksu Delta, Alata, Davultepe, Kazanlı, Akyatan, Yumurtalık, Samandağ.
THIS YEAR'S FINE AMOUNT: 699,245 TL On all of these beaches, which are under the responsibility of the General Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks (DKMP) under the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and the General Directorate of Conservation of Natural Assets under the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change, entry to the shore at night is prohibited between May and September, the nesting and hatchling emergence period. Additionally, activities such as vehicle entry, setting up tents, camping, lighting fires or barbecues are completely banned on these beaches. Administrative fines are imposed on those who destroy biological diversity in violation of Article 9(a) of the Environmental Law No. 2872 (direct harm to sea turtles, their nests, eggs, or adult individuals, destruction of nesting habitat by illegal sand extraction from beaches), and those who violate the bans. The fine amount for 2026 has been set at 699,245 TL. If the violators are legal entities and institutions, a fine of 2,097,000 TL will be applied.
NIGHT FOR TURTLES, DAY FOR PEOPLE Domestic and foreign tourists can only use the 21 beaches designated as protected sea turtle nesting areas during the day from May 1 to the end of September. At night, the beaches will belong to the sea turtles. The ban on entering the beaches starts at 8:00 PM and lasts until 8:00 AM. Warning signs and information about this matter are also provided.