Study on Coastal Management Planning: The Case of Sinop Peninsula

Abstract

Coastal areas have always been attractive for communities; throughout the history, people have initially settled at coastal areas and established their civilizations on coastal zones. With their characteristically natural structures, coasts have been distinctive areas allowing both economical and social development of communities and taking important part in development of a country. This study revealed the problems and brought alternative coastal usage suggestions for Sinop Peninsula located on Middle Black Sea coast. Problem-centered approach was preferred in the study. First, the existing problem was analyzed based on the problems revealed as a result of the analyses, and then possible solutions were presented. SWOT analysis was conducted in the planning phase of the study, this method sought to provide a starting point so as to ensure best analysis of the data to be obtained for the coastal management activity of the city, and to perform the planning in the optimal way. To this end, the existing strengths and weaknesses were determined taking into account the internal and external factors. In the study, the coastal area was divided into 2 zones as intervened and non-intervened zones. It was revealed what kind of intervention has been made on the intervened coasts, and it was determined where the intervened points were located. These determinations were performed by the measurements conducted on the terrain, and the data obtained were digitized in GIS medium of 1/25.000 sheets, added into GIS medium as raster data, and shown on the maps. As a result of the study, it was considered necessary to plan alternatives that will minimize the threats to result from the existing and potential environmental pressures situated in coastal zone of Sinop, to start the applications of provision of clean waste generation or waste minimization through control of the pollution systematically, to improve environmental quality in urban areas, and to use this as a threshold for increasing total environmental quality and awareness. The study also revealed the requirement of protecting the public use areas, taking all infrastructural measures, developing prevention and rehabilitation principles at the areas where there are pollutant elements and deterioration in the coastal zone.