1. INTRODUCTION
The country is surrounded by three seas: the Black Sea in the North, the Aegean Sea in the West and the Mediterranean Sea in the South, joined together by the Bosphorous and the Canakkale Straits (Dardanelles). The Turkish coastline is 8 000 km long and there are 175 715 km of rivers; natural lakes and lagoons cover a total area of 906 118 ha respectively. (MEDRA TD/86/06).
2. CURRENT STATE OF AQUACULTURE
2.1 Marine Aquaculture (ADCP/REP/87/29)
1988 production statistics were 605 t of sea bream, 230 t of sea bass, 4 589 of mullet and 445 t of eels, all from lagoon culture. Total catch in 1985 from all sources was stated to be 1 553 t of sea bass, 710 t of sea bream, 2 748 t of mullet and 583 t of eels while FAO Yearbook of fishery statistics show respectively: 653 t, 1 056 t, 12 426 t and 583 t. During the workshop on the market for the prime mediterranean species, held in December 1986 a Norwegian participant stated that there was also cage production in Turkey which was expected to contribute 100 t per year of sea bass/bream in 1987 and 300–400 t/year in 1988 (ADCP/REP/87/29).
There also exists a commercial farm (PINAR - Deniz Urunleri A.S.) with hatchery (1 000 000 fry capacity) and cages producing sea bream and sea bass (S. Cataudella, personal communication).
2.2 Fresh water aquaculture
The aquaculture share in freshwater fish production has been gradually rising with over 100 private farms now operating throughout Turkey, whose main products are carps (11 658 t), trout (602 t) and eels (424 t) (FAO, Statistics office).
3. PROGRAMME
The Turkish Government has realized the need to accord a high priority to increasing the Mediterranean and Aegean fish production, especially by improving lagoon fisheries and developing lagoon and marine aquaculture. The Turkish Government, through the Ministry of Agriculture and the collaboration and supervision of the State Planning Organization of Turkey, will provide a special budget to establish the Beymelek Aquaculture Centre by the end of 1987.
This centre will play a national role through: applied research, training and a local role through a strict collaboration with the local cooperative which manages the Beymelek lagoon. The centre will include a hatchery (200 000 fry/year production capacity), experimental intensive production unit (sea bass sea bream), experimental intensive production unit (sea bream, mullets, shrimps).
This centre will receive the UNDP/FAO support through technical assistance, equipment and training (Turkey, Marine Aquaculture Development at Bemelek).
4. PRODUCTION
Total landings in Turkey were 576 068 t in 1985 (FAO Yearbook of fishery statistics) of which 43 467 t from inland waters and 532 602 from marine waters.
In the period 1979–1984 total production showed a 61% increase. Marine fisheries increased by 58% while inland waters more than doubled the quantities landed. Some of the increase recorded can be attributed to better statistics (MEDRAP. TR/85/12).
Most of marine landings are concentrated in the East and West Black Sea (85%) while the sea of Marmara (9%), Aegean (3%) and Mediterranean show limited productions in terms of quantity.
However, 300 00 t out of 400 000 t of fish caught in 1982 in the Black Sea region were anchovies and other pelagic species. At least 100 000 t/year of these species are transformed into fish meal and oil.
1985 production of meals, solubles and other similar animal foodstufs was 45 000 t (FAO, Yearbook of fishery statistics).
5. MARKETING
At the moment, Turkish production easily meets the internal demand for fish consumption even if a large percentage of the total product is usually used to produce fish meal and oil.
Some pressure has been registered in summer due to the higher demand by tourists.
Consumption of fresh and iced fish is increasing. The percentage absorbed by this type of consumption has increased from 68% in 1980 to 74.6% in 1982 (MEDRAP. TR/85/12).
In internal trade among different regions, on the average, 55% of total production finds an extra-regional market. Exports represent a neglibible percentage of total production, about 4% in 1985, and they are mainly represented by fish and crustaceans.
6. INSTITUTIONAL CONTEXT
Fisheries are administered by the General Directorate of Fisheries in the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock, but several other agencies, including the State Planning Organization and the Fisheries Division of the State Hydraulics Works are also involved in projects related to marine fisheries and aquaculture.
Fishermen may group themselves into cooperatives which are authorized and controlled by Turkish law (ADCP/MR/79/5). The number of fishermen's cooperatives increased from 276 in 1980, to 340 in 1984 and there were six cooperative associations. 14 750 fishermen are registered members (MEDRAP - TD/86/06). The Agriculture Back has lent 5 billion Turkish pounds (= US $ 25 m) to fishermen and industrialists, credit institutions and Government bodies have cooperated for the supply of fishing gear.
In 1984, cooperative members imported 54 diesel engines, 46 echo-sounders, and 11 trans-receivers duty free, as well as 3 150 000 fingerlings. 2 yarn and 5 net factories are in active production and, in 1984, only anchovy, sardine and shrimp nets were imported. There are also 18 fish-meal and fish-oil production plants and 191 cold storage units (MEDRAP. TD/86/06).
7. CURRENT RESEARCH (FIRI/TRAM/2455 suppl.)
Research is carried out by four existing institutes in Ikizce, Iznik, Kepez and Bodrun, to which will be added a further three planned for the Black Sea, East Anatolia and Aegean. These centres, apart from being involved in advising and monitoring capture fisheries are also being involved in the expansion of aquaculture.
Kepez Fisheries Research Institute near Antalya, on the Mediterranean coast, has all the prerequisites to become a lead aquaculture centre for Turkey and for this purpose it is given the full support of the Government.
The Government of Turkey plans to establish a Mariculture Research Centre at Beymelek lagoon.
Currently, various governmental fisheries departments, research stations, etc. in Turkey employ the following personnel: 152 agriculture engineers, 19 chemical engineers, 50 biologists, 4 veterinarians, 102 agricultural technicians, 11 other technicians, 236 junior staff and administrative personnel and 68 other employees. There are 7 Ph.D. graduates, and 10 Ph.D. candidates amongst the employees. Forty peopld have had special training abroad.
REFERENCES
MEDRAP - TD/86/06 - Seminar. Socio-Economic aspects of aquaculture development in the Mediterranean countries. Djerba (Tunisia) November 14–24, 1985.
ADCP/REP/87/29. The markets for the prime mediterranean species sea bass, sea bream, mullets and eel, and their links with investment.
MEDRAP. TR/85/12. Coastal lagoon management in Turkey; social, economic and legal aspects. October 1985.
FAO, Yearbook of fishery statistics. 1985. Vol. 60–61.
ADCP/MR/79/5. Development of coastal aquaculture in the Mediterranean region. October 1978–February 1979.
FIRI/TRAM/2455 Suppl. Report on freshwater inland fisheries in Turkey. February 1984.
Turkey, Marine Aquaculture Development at Bemelek (report of mission) December 1986.
OTHER MEDRAP REPORTS
TR/85/15 - Contribution of the realisation of Beymelek aquaculture plant project.
