Mert Gökalp: I completed my PhD from the Department of Marine Animal Ecology, Marine Ecology Science at Wageningen University in the Netherlands. I am a documentary filmmaker, under water photographer and filmmaker. I am a writer and environmental activist.
My interest in the sea started at a very young age. My father took me into the sea when I was only three months old. When I was 3-4 years old, I started pulling shells out of the sea. Then when I was 6, my uncles gave me a harpoon. That's how we went on Blue Voyages. My father bought a motorcycle. I started water skiing and spearfishing with him. Then my interest in the sea started with our summer house in Bodrum.
S. N: How do you define yourself as a scientist and documentary filmmaker as well as a photographer and writer? How do your versatility feed each other?
M.G: I guess I am actually a bridge. I know a lot about the seas, at least about the Mediterranean, about the oceans and reefs, but there are people who are in that region and know better than me. So I can't claim that much, but I can say that I am one of the people who have a lot of knowledge in my region in the Mediterranean. I will not be too modest at this point. From this point of view, when I make observations, do science, write scientific articles, do popular science and literature, and produce products related to the sea, they actually complement each other. At every point, when you follow the current events related to the sea news and current events and go to the sea of course, you reach the point of having a little more knowledge.
People ask me about the creatures they see every other day. They benefit from the books. Obviously they all feed each other, but of course it is difficult to sell information in a country like ours. I am a person who tries to sell information and share my knowledge by acting as a bridge. Therefore my job is a bit difficult.
S. N: What is the most important marine biology research you are currently working on?
M.G: I can say that the "Seagrass Project" is the most important project.
The most important thing I'm doing right now is a seagrass project called "Project Posidonia", which is actually finished but I want to continue. We are doing Turkey's largest seagrass mapping project in a very large area across Bodrum and we have completed it now. Our report will be published. I also try to raise awareness and explain the importance of the seagrass meadow to boaters, hoteliers and local residents through various projects; through art, culture, science. We have reached quite a large audience, so
S. N: What can be done at individual and societal level to reduce human impact on marine ecosystems?
M.G: Awareness and education are the most important. It is necessary to provide education from a young age. There should be trainings on ecology, natural science, seas, coasts, coastal protection, human impact, climate change. At the same time, the local administration and the main administration, that is, the government and the state, need to somehow keep some of the seas and coasts empty, have protected areas, prevent concretization to at least 30% or even 50%, solve waste problems and regulate fisheries. If these are done, these seas and coasts will last forever.
S. N: What do you think will be the biggest threat to marine biodiversity in the future?
I would say the increase in human population and urbanization. All kinds of problems can be solved, but the consequences of human impact cannot be solved.
Underwater and regatta photography are two different disciplines that take place in dynamic and challenging conditions. How do you adapt your techniques and equipment to capture impressive shots in these areas? What are the factors that challenge you the most?
At this point, I used many different techniques while shooting the Bodrum Cup and sailing races. I took open, half underwater, half aerial photographs from a distance of 2 meters from the sailing boats, either by entering the water and getting in front of the boats with fast boats or following their routes and taking my safety in contact with the boat. I also shot transitions over a zodiac. Or I took shots in the foam by lying on the ground on a larger and more comfortable machine like an oxopard. Or I also shot the actions on the boat. Obviously, they are all different to use according to the material used and the machine in your hand. You develop your technique accordingly. But action is very important. Both the action of the sail and the action of the people themselves are important. Stagnant sails and stagnant people don't give good results.
S. N: Which of the biotechnological discoveries derived from sea creatures excites you the most?
M.G: There are so many... The one that will excite me the most is probably the ability to acclimatize our lungs to water and add the technique of breathing in water; this will happen in the future, it will happen for sure. This will be very exciting, but for example, the ability to withstand cold water by using shock proteins is being studied, it has not been done yet, but this is something that can be possible with some genetic interventions. These are very exciting. Sea creatures have so many characteristics, so everything can be exciting in the future.
How have new technologies used in deep-sea exploration accelerated marine biology research? We have discovered new worlds, it's like going to Mars in a space shuttle, or going to a new planet in a space shuttle, because there are more strange and bizarre creatures there than you can imagine!
S. N: What methods do you use to monitor the population dynamics of protected species?
M.G: I don't think much has been done about this situation in Turkey. Of course, some work is being done, we shouldn't underestimate the efforts of a few people, but in Kaş, for example, Baki Ökkeş worked very hard on fish counting, they came and did it for years, they tried to do various research on Black Sea fish at different points, whether it was Mustafa Zengin or Saadet Karakulak. We have a fish room, for example NOAA’s fish room, where there are very important fisheries scientists and adult staff. In the same way, the French have areas where there are very adult scientists and personnel in the state offices and where these works are controlled with a proper set of fisheries data through researches conducted every year and where the protected areas are fully protected. There is no such situation in Turkey, so I don't think much has been done in Turkey in population monitoring dynamics studies. I measure seagrass meadows and for this I use GIS (Geographic Information System) with aerial photographs.
S. N: What are the most important data you come across while researching the impact of marine protected areas on ecosystems?
M.G: If these areas are properly protected, there are examples in the world and they have very serious impacts on the local ecosystem, local fisheries and local people. In particular, if they are implemented with eco-tourism, such as in Bodrum and Kuşadası, Alaçatı and Didim, where there is no concrete pressure, new houses, facilities, industrial pressure, waste pressure like the coasts opposite, protected areas create serious positive effects and the people, including the fishermen, are very satisfied after a while.
S. N: How do microplastics and other marine wastes affect the physiology of marine organisms? What solutions can be proposed in this regard?
M.G: These are not my subject. Obviously, that's the visible side of the issue. A lot of scientists are dealing with this. The part I am really interested in is the invisible side; that is, liquid wastes, i.e. city wastes, wastes coming from streams, industrial wastes. No one is interested in this, we need to deal with this. Of course, that side should also be dealt with, but there is no war on that side. When it comes to plastics, you don't have to fight with too many people, but there is no one interested on this side, so there is a lot of need.
S. N: What impact does the disappearance of certain species in marine ecosystems have on the food chain and ecosystem dynamics?
M.G: It has a huge impact. The disappearance of grouper means the disappearance of bluefish, the disappearance of seagrass means the disappearance of all of them. Therefore, when you remove each chain, the situation worsens as a chain reaction.
S. N: What would be your most important advice for the next generation of scientists and photographers?
M.G: Education! Read, learn and educate your environment. People need marine education and reading. They need nature education. They need to protect nature. Education is very important. Traveling and seeing is very important. It is very important to see the places where people travel and see the discoveries they have made. We have a barbaric life based on not learning, on a barbaric life; there is a nonsense that is completely fueled by city life, such as what will happen if you read, what will happen if you do what you know, so we are already lagging behind as a country. Because we don't apply the basics of science, because we don't apply innovation! We have no choice but education, science and positive science!
S. N: Is there a project you would like to realize in the coming years?
M.G: Yes, I want to spread this seagrass meadows project across Turkey. I want to spread the idea of marine conservation in Turkey in a stronger way. I want to do better than what my predecessors did and produce serious products at the point of education. Of course, I want to increase the "Deep Blue" documentary on Iz TV, shoot more episodes, go to more places, and make programs abroad.
S. N: Finally, which was the project that affected and changed you the most among the works you have done?
M.G: The first movie I made was "Irme", the sponge diver movie, it's on Youtube. It is a short movie. It went to many festivals and received awards. It was shot in collaboration. I learned editing and filmmaking there, that was very important. The second one is "Lüfer", of course. I think it's one of the best things I've ever done. Maybe the best. I shot it for a very long time, it was edited in a very long time and it became a good documentary. I can say the two for that.
Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule.
Banu Demir / The Sailor's Newspaper
Photograps: Mert Gökalp Archive
Prepared for Publication: Doruk Agency / Founded by Sailor's Newspaper
