ŞEMSİ BAYRAKTAR: AMOUNT OF SEA FISHING DECREASES WHILE SUSTAINABILITY IS ESSENTIAL

Press release...

Ankara - 08.31.2019 - Union of Turkish Chambers of Agriculture (TZOB) Chairman Şemsi Bayraktar, noting the importance of sustainable fisheries and announced, "In 2011, 514 thousand 755 tons of sea fishing, decreased to 314 thousand 94 tons in 2018. Sustainable fishing is essential for the future of the fisheries sector"

Bayraktar, explained in a statement, the prohibition of hunting in the sea will end as of September 1 and wished abundant product and fertile season.

Surrounded by the sea on three sides, with 8 thousand 333 kilometers of coastline Bayraktar stated that there is great potential for aquaculture in Turkey, he said could not be fully evaluated the potential that exists.

Bayraktar stated that fisheries hunting has decreased significantly in recent years.

“The amount of fishery products obtained from hunting, which was 514 thousand 755 tons in 2011, decreased to 302 thousand 212 tons in 2014. In 2015, the amount of hunting increased by 42.9 percent to 431 thousand 907 tons compared to the previous year and decreased by 22.4 percent in 2016 compared to the previous year and amounted to 335 thousand 320 tons. In 2017, our fishery products, which were 354,318 tons with an increase of 5,7 percent, decreased 11,4 percent in 2018 and decreased to 314,494 tons. In 2018, sea fisheries decreased by 11.9 percent and domestic fisheries decreased by 6.2 percent compared to the previous year.

"Sustainable hunting is essential for the future of the sector. For this purpose, it is required to carry out the necessary studies and researches in order to protect and develop the stocks and to give priority to increasing the protection and control works" Bayraktar warned.

"Aquaculture production was 607 thousand 515 tons in 2013. It decreased to 537 thousand 345 tons in 2014. In 2015, it was realized as 672 thousand 241 tons with an increase of 25.1 percent compared to the previous year and decreased by 12.4 percent in 2016 and reached 588 thousand 715 tons. Our production in 2017 increased by 7.2 percent and reached 630 thousand 820 tons. In 2018, our fishery production decreased by 0.3 percent and became 628 thousand 631 tons. 35.3 percent of this production consists of marine fish, 9.9 percent of other seafood, 4.8 percent of domestic aquaculture and 50 percent of aquaculture products" Bayraktar concluded...