Description
The Mediterranean is experiencing the full impact of exotic species, some of which are rapidly becoming invasive. At the forefront, the Eastern Mediterranean is directly affected by these species arriving through the Suez Canal, a phenomenon known as Lessepsian migration. We closely observe the effects of this migration on marine biodiversity, torn between fascination and concern – especially as some of these species have already reached the French coast.
Having the privilege of diving year-round in the Kaş-Kekova Marine Protected Area, in southern Turkey, and being an engaged stakeholder involved in its conservation, I felt a duty to record and document the exotic species observed in this region and its ever-evolving underwater ecosystem.
This book does not claim to be scientific or exhaustive. Instead, it offers an aesthetic approach based on my observations of exotic marine species in the Kaş region between 2000 and 2024. In this second expanded edition (the 1st edition, published in 2016 in English and Turkish, was called ”Red Sea in the Med”), I present 76 species through more than 200 photographs, accompanied by concise commentary and specific information, all viewed through the eyes of a passionate diver. To enhance this experience, I have also included 31 amateur videos, accessible via QR codes.
I am deeply grateful to my dear friends, eminent marine biologists and photographers, Dr. Patrick Louisy and Dr. Steven Weinberg, who have honored this book with their forewords, as well as to Dr. Baki Yokes for his invaluable scientific contribution.
