Academic members from Karadeniz Technical University’s Faculty of Marine Sciences (KTÜ-MSF) recently gathered with international researchers in Sulina, Romania, to deliver progress reports on aquatic invasive species monitoring within the scope of the IASON+ Project.

Running from September 15 to 19, 2026, the 4th Working Meeting of the Invasive Alien Species Observatory and Network Development for the Assessment of Climate Change Impacts and Contextual Ecosystem Services Evaluation in Black Sea Deltaic Protected Areas (IASON+) brought together leading experts, institutional partners, and steering committee members in the Danube Delta.

Representing KTÜ-MSF as Project Partner 5 (PP5), Prof. Dr. Fatma Telli Karakoç,  Prof. Dr. CoÅŸkun Erüz, Prof.Dr. A. Muzzaffer FeyzioÄŸlu, and Prof.Dr. Hacer SaÄŸlam took the floor on September 16 to present the session titled "PP5: The Current Status of the IASON+ Project in the Kızılırmak Delta Aquatic Area." Their presentation highlighted ongoing ecological monitoring milestones, field surveys, and pressing environmental challenges concerning aquatic invasive species and climate change impacts within Türkiye's vital deltaic protected area.

The multi-day program featured extensive collaborative sessions alongside project partners including the Institute of Marine Biology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (IMB-NAS), Danube Delta National Institute (DDNI), Democritus University of Thrace (DUTH), International Black Sea Research Center (IBEDC), and Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve Authority (DDBRA). Agenda highlights included reviews of implementation challenges, large-scale events of mass mortality among non-native and native species, communication and financial strategies, and a technical field implementation visit across the Danube Delta.

Funded by the Interreg NEXT Black Sea Basin Programme and co-financed by the European Union, the IASON+ project (Project Code: BSB00174) continues to strengthen regional cooperation, data sharing, and observatory networks for sustainable environmental management across Black Sea delta ecosystems.