Strengthening the system of Marine and Coastal Protected Areas of Turkey Project Some 3,000 plant and animal species have been identified along Turkey's 8.500 km coastline. But Turkey's marine biodiversity is under serious pressure by human kind. The major threats facing Turkey's marine areas are the degradation of marine habitats and ecosystems, the over-harvesting of marine resources and the conversion and/or destruction of coastal habitats. This Project aims to facilitate the expansion of the national system of marine and coastal protected areas and to improve its management effectiveness. The Project officially commenced in May 2009, and will end in April 2014. The Project will have achieved the following three outcomes: Responsible institutions have the capacities and internal structure needed for prioritizing the establishment of new Marine and Coastal Protected Areas (MCPAs) and for more effectively managing existing MCPAs MCPA financial planning and management systems are facilitating effective business planning, adequate levels of revenue generation and cost-effective management Inter-agency coordination mechanisms in place to regulate and manage economic activities within multiple use areas of the MCPAs