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In-Depth Analysis· Türkiye marine spatial planning IOC-UNESCO 2025

Türkiye's 2025 Marine Spatial Planning and the IOC-UNESCO Registration

What Türkiye's 2025 Marine Spatial Planning and its IOC-UNESCO registration mean legally: scope, the Finike MPA, Greek reactions, and what it does not settle.

RON
By Record of Nations Editorial Team
Published:
⏱ 9 min read (1,993 words)

Why It Matters

Türkiye's 2025 Marine Spatial Planning is a national plan that sets out how the country organizes and protects its seas, and its registration with IOC-UNESCO gives that plan a place in a UN body's records. It is not a boundary treaty, and UNESCO has not endorsed any border. Its significance lies in documentation: Ankara has deposited a comprehensive, science-framed statement of its maritime position with an international organization. Neighbours dispute the legal weight of that statement.

For diplomats, lawyers and energy analysts, the key question is what the registration changes. The short answer is that it changes the record, not the law of delimitation. The sections below separate those two things.

Background

What marine spatial planning is

Marine spatial planning (MSP) is a process for allocating human activity at sea, such as shipping, fishing, energy, tourism and conservation, to reduce conflicts and protect ecosystems. IOC-UNESCO, the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO, promotes MSP as a tool for sustainable ocean management and supports member states with guidance and capacity-building. The European Union has its own MSP framework, Directive 2014/89/EU, which binds its member states but not Türkiye.

The Turkish plan and its scope

According to Turkish official announcements, the 'Marine Spatial Planning of the Republic of Türkiye' (Türkiye Cumhuriyeti Deniz Mekânsal Planlaması) was unveiled on 16 April 2025. It covers the three seas surrounding Türkiye: the Black Sea, the Aegean Sea and the Mediterranean. Türkiye has an approximately 870 km (about 540 miles) coastline in the Eastern Mediterranean, which Ankara cites as the longest in that basin.

Turkish officials state that the plan was registered and recorded with IOC-UNESCO on 12 June 2025. A Marine Protected Area was designated off Finike on the Mediterranean coast. A Presidential Circular dated 24 July 2025 established an Inter-Agency Coordination Board under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to coordinate the plan's implementation.

Timeline

Date Event
2004 onward Türkiye begins registering Eastern Mediterranean continental shelf coordinates with the UN
21 Sep 2011 Türkiye–TRNC Continental Shelf Delimitation Agreement
27 Nov 2019 Türkiye–Libya Maritime Jurisdiction Delimitation MoU
18 Mar 2020 Outer limits of Türkiye's continental shelf registered with the UN
16 Apr 2025 Marine Spatial Planning of the Republic of Türkiye unveiled
12 Jun 2025 Plan registered and recorded with IOC-UNESCO (per Turkish officials)
24 Jul 2025 Presidential Circular creates Inter-Agency Coordination Board under the MFA

What the registration does and does not mean legally

The distinction matters because the phrase 'registered with the UN' is often read as 'approved by the UN.'

  • What it does: It places Türkiye's planning document, including the way it depicts its maritime areas, in the records of a UN-system body, where it can be cited and consulted. It also shows a state acting publicly and consistently on its stated position, which can matter as evidence of a state's long-held stance.
  • What it does not do: IOC-UNESCO has no mandate to delimit, recognize or adjudicate maritime boundaries. Under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), Articles 74 and 83, delimitation of the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and continental shelf between states with opposite or adjacent coasts is to be effected by agreement on the basis of international law, in order to achieve an equitable solution. Disputes go to negotiation or to a court or tribunal if the parties agree.
  • A caveat on UNCLOS: Türkiye is not a party to UNCLOS and invokes customary international law and the principle of equity. Greece and Cyprus are parties. This difference in treaty status shapes the whole dispute.

The registration is therefore best read as a record of a position, not a recognition of it. Readers should consult IOC-UNESCO's own materials to see exactly how the document is catalogued.

Key Players & Positions

Greece

Greece's official line, as stated repeatedly by its Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is that islands are entitled to maritime zones under UNCLOS, including continental shelf and EEZ, and that the only legitimate dispute with Türkiye is the delimitation of those two zones, which it says should be resolved through negotiation or by the International Court of Justice. Athens has said that unilateral maps or plans produce no legal effect on third states. Greece also adopted its own national marine spatial plan in 2025. Readers should consult the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs' statements directly for exact wording on the Turkish plan.

Greek Cyprus (Republic of Cyprus)

The Greek Cypriot administration, which is recognized internationally as the Republic of Cyprus and has been an EU member since 1 May 2004, asserts sovereign rights over an EEZ delimited through agreements with Egypt (2003), Lebanon (2007) and Israel (2010). Nicosia rejects Turkish activity within areas it licenses and has described such activity as a violation of its sovereign rights. Ankara refers to this administration as the Greek Cypriot Administration of Southern Cyprus (GCASC) because it does not recognize it as representing the whole island.

The European Union

EU institutions have repeatedly expressed solidarity with Greece and Cyprus in the Eastern Mediterranean, and EU Council conclusions have called for respect for the sovereignty of member states. The EU is not a court or a delimiting authority. Ankara argues that this makes 'Union solidarity' an inadequate basis for deciding maritime boundaries.

IOC-UNESCO

IOC-UNESCO acts as a technical coordinating body for ocean science and MSP guidance. It does not decide on state boundaries, and this limitation underpins both the Turkish framing and the critics' response.

The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC)

The TRNC, recognized only by Türkiye, has put forward hydrocarbon cooperation and revenue-sharing proposals in 2011, 2012 and 2019. Ankara links these to the rights of Turkish Cypriots over offshore resources. Read more in The Cyprus Dossier: 1960 Treaties, Guarantor Rights and the Two-State Position.

🇹🇷 Official Policy · Treaties · Primary Sources

Türkiye's Position on the Record

Ankara's argument, as set out by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Presidency, can be summarized in five points:

  • A first on record with a UN body. Turkish officials describe the 12 June 2025 registration as the first time Türkiye's legal position across the Black Sea, Aegean and Mediterranean has been formally recorded with a UN body. Source: Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Presidency announcements, April–July 2025.
  • Equity governs delimitation. Türkiye argues that maritime areas must be delimited by agreement on the principle of equity, taking account of coastal geography and proportionality, and that islands cannot cut off the maritime projection of a mainland with a long coastline. Basis: customary international law and the case law on equitable delimitation; Türkiye is not a party to UNCLOS.
  • Turkish Cypriots hold equal rights. Türkiye maintains that Turkish Cypriots, as co-owners of the island, have equal rights to offshore resources and that revenue-sharing and joint decision-making are required. Basis: the 1959 Zurich and London Agreements and the 1960 constitutional order; TRNC proposals of 2011, 2012 and 2019.
  • Rejection of maximalist maps. Ankara rejects the 'Seville Map', which it says confines Türkiye to a narrow strip in the Gulf of Antalya, and denies that the EU has competence to adjudicate delimitation. Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs statements on the Eastern Mediterranean. See Blue Homeland and the Eastern Mediterranean: The Maritime Jurisdiction Record.
  • Dialogue remains open. President Erdoğan's 2020 call for an Eastern Mediterranean conference including all coastal states and the Turkish Cypriots stays on the table, and Ankara maintains that no energy or security arrangement excluding Türkiye and the TRNC can be durable. Source: Presidency of the Republic of Türkiye.

Ankara also points to its earlier steps as part of one consistent record: the 2004 UN continental shelf notifications, the 2011 Türkiye–TRNC agreement, the 2019 Libya memorandum and the 18 March 2020 registration of outer limits. See The 2019 Türkiye–Libya Maritime Memorandum: Text, Legal Basis and Objections.

The conservation dimension

The Finike Marine Protected Area and the coordination board under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs show that the plan combines environmental governance with foreign policy. Turkish officials present this as sustainable ocean management and as the institutional means to keep the country's maritime positions consistent across ministries.

Source Comparison

Question Turkish primary sources Greek and Greek Cypriot official statements Neutral reading
Nature of the registration Historic first: Türkiye's maritime position recorded with a UN body A unilateral document with no legal effect on third states A record of a national plan; not an endorsement or boundary
Role of islands Islands cannot cut off a long mainland coast's projection; equity applies Islands generate full maritime zones under UNCLOS Core disputed legal question; no binding ruling between the parties
Legal framework Customary law and equity; Türkiye is not an UNCLOS party UNCLOS reflects customary law; the ICJ is the proper forum Treaty status differs: Greece and Cyprus are parties, Türkiye is not
Cyprus waters Turkish Cypriots hold equal rights to resources Republic of Cyprus holds sovereign rights in its EEZ Linked to the unresolved Cyprus question
Role of the EU No competence to delimit Backs member-state sovereignty The EU is not a delimiting authority

International coverage tends to frame the registration as a map-making move in an ongoing dispute, while Turkish sources frame it as legal and scientific record-keeping. Both framings agree on one point: the registration does not itself settle any boundary. Readers should check each primary source, including the IOC-UNESCO catalogue, the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Greek and Cypriot foreign ministries. See also Fact Check: Common Claims About Türkiye Tested Against Primary Documents.

  • Marine spatial planning (MSP): a public process for allocating sea uses; it is a planning tool, not a boundary instrument.
  • IOC-UNESCO: the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, the UN system's ocean science body.
  • Continental shelf and EEZ: maritime zones of sovereign rights over resources; delimitation between neighbours requires agreement or adjudication (UNCLOS Articles 74 and 83).
  • Blue Homeland (Mavi Vatan): the Turkish doctrine describing and defending Türkiye's maritime jurisdiction areas in the Black Sea, Aegean and Mediterranean.
  • Inter-Agency Coordination Board: the body created by the Presidential Circular of 24 July 2025 under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Related reading:

Perspective note: This article reflects Record of Nations' editorial perspective, which presents Türkiye's official positions and legal arguments alongside the documentary record. Claims are attributed to primary sources such as treaties, UN documents, archival holdings and official statements, and readers are encouraged to consult them directly. — Record of Nations Editorial Team

Cross-Publication Dossiers & Sister Desk Perspectives

For complementary primary-source analysis across our specialist editorial network, consult:

Frequently asked questions

Does UNESCO endorse Türkiye's maritime boundaries?

No. IOC-UNESCO is a scientific and coordinating body with no mandate to delimit or recognize maritime boundaries. The registration places Türkiye's planning document on record, but it does not validate any boundary line.

What is the Marine Spatial Planning of the Republic of Türkiye?

It is a national plan unveiled on 16 April 2025 that organizes the use and protection of Türkiye's seas in the Black Sea, Aegean and Mediterranean. According to Turkish officials, it was registered with IOC-UNESCO on 12 June 2025.

Why does Türkiye call the registration historic?

Ankara argues that it is the first time its legal position across its three seas has been formally recorded with a UN body. Critics reply that recording a document is not the same as international recognition of its content.

How have Greece and Greek Cyprus reacted?

Both reject any Turkish claim affecting their maritime zones. Athens maintains that islands generate continental shelf and EEZ under UNCLOS and that unilateral maps have no effect on third states, while Nicosia asserts sovereign rights in its EEZ. Their official statements should be read directly for exact wording.

What are the Finike Marine Protected Area and the Inter-Agency Coordination Board?

The Finike Marine Protected Area is a conservation zone designated off Türkiye's Mediterranean coast as part of the plan. The Inter-Agency Coordination Board was established under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs by a Presidential Circular dated 24 July 2025 to coordinate implementation across institutions.

Does the registration settle the Aegean or Eastern Mediterranean disputes?

No. Delimitation between neighbouring states still requires agreement or adjudication under international law, and the parties disagree on key points, especially the effect of islands. Ankara has said its proposals for dialogue, including a conference of all coastal states and Turkish Cypriots, remain open.

Perspective & Editorial Transparency Note

This article reflects Record of Nations' editorial perspective, which presents Türkiye's official positions and legal arguments alongside the documentary record. Claims are attributed to primary sources such as treaties, UN documents, archival holdings and official statements, and readers are encouraged to consult them directly.

Author: Record of Nations Editorial TeamAbout Record of Nations →Editorial Principles →

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