T.R.
ÇANAKKALE ONEKİZ MART UNIVERSITY
UNDERWATER RESEARCH APPLICATION CENTER 2023 ACTIVITY REPORT

      ÇOMÜ Underwater Research and Application Center Activity Information Covering 01 January - 31 December 2022 is as follows.
     A cooperation protocol was signed between Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University and Balıkesir Metropolitan Municipality in July 2021. Within the scope of this protocol, the Underwater Research and Application Center together with the Faculty of Marine Sciences and Technology on behalf of the University carried out the project named "Ghost Net Hunters, Edremit Bay" and this project was terminated in October 2023. Within the scope of the project, dives were carried out around the artificial reef areas, natural reef areas and Ayvalık islands placed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry in the Gulf of Edremit, and the fishing gear and parts left on the ground were cleaned and removed from the environment. In addition to the participation of our entire Central board of directors in the project, our PhD and master's students also participated. In this way, the diving training of our students continued to be reinforced. Approximately 30 days of work were done on the project and more than 100 dives were performed. In the project, a 1500 square meter purse seine net, a 2500 square meter gillnet, a 200 meter long coastal drift net's wing section, 1 trawl bag and fishermen's anchors were removed from the sea. Images of these networks are included in the activity presentation of our center.
          Our center has also carried out the revolving fund project named "Detecting Pinna nobilis (Pinna nobilis) in the Dredging Area for Docking in the Gallipoli Shipyard and Transporting them to Safe Areas". Dredging and deepening activities will be carried out in the sea area, next to the pier of the Gelibolu shipyard located in the Gelibolu district of Çanakkale province. In the content of the previously prepared and submitted EIA report, the academics who prepared the report stated that the endangered species of pina (Pinna nobilis), a bivalvia species, was found in the area to be surveyed. This project aimed to transport the pinas alive to a safe area before the dredging and deepening works began. Within the scope of the project, academicians of our center safely transported 319 pina individuals from the dredging area and shore of the Gelibolu Shipyard to their new places. The project protocol is available at ÇOMÜ Revolving Fund Management Directorate.
We participated in the annual July 1 Cabotage Festival events organized by Çanakkale Port Authority, and took part in sea cleaning activities within this scope.
         Our center contributed to the Ghost Nets and Invasive Species Awareness Project, which was implemented in 10 provinces by the Resource Management Department of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, General Directorate of Fisheries and Aquaculture, with a presentation titled "Ghost Nets and Their Situation in Turkey" in 2 provinces. Below is the project schedule.

The activities of ÇOMÜ Underwater Research and Application Center will continue with the same momentum in 2024.

Prof. Dr. Adnan AYAZ
Underwater Research and Application
     Center Manager