World Aquaculture 15 Problems and solutions in the aquaculture sector in Turkey Ayşe Gül Harlioğlu1 Fishery is one of the most important four basic components of the agriculture industry in Turkey. In 2005, Turkey took the 36th place in the world fish capture production, and placed 23rd in the world aquaculture production. It makes a vital contribution to beneficial nutrition for human beings, providing raw material for the industrial sector, creating employment possibilities and a high potential for export (Yılmaz et al. 2008). On the other hand, despite Turkey’s long coastline and large freshwater bodies, the fishery is an underdeveloped industry compared to other sectors. In recent years, the bulk of production has been obtained from the sea (80 percent) and freshwater (20 percent) fish catch. For example, total fishery production was 646,310 t in 2008. Capture fisheries production amounted to 494,124 t while aquaculture production was 152,186 t in the same year. The ratio of cultured fish production to total fish production was approximately 1.5 percent in 1990s, 13.57 percent in 2000 and more than 20 percent in 2005. However, aquaculture production constituted 23.55 percent of the total fishery production in 2008. The main species cultured are rainbow trout, sea bream, sea bass, and to a smaller amount, sea trout and mussels (Anonymous 2008). Figure 1 shows the aquaculture and capture fisheries productions (t/year) obtained from the sea and freshwater in Turkey between 1996 and 2008 (Anonymous 1996-2008). Sea product production was the highest in the Black Sea Region, but inland fishery production was the highest in the East Anatolia Region between 1998 and 2008. Conversely, aquaculture fisheries carried out in seas or freshwater was the highest in Aegean Region (Anonymous 1996-2008, Figure 1). Aquaculture is the third component of fisheries production in Turkey. The aquaculture industry contributes to the economy not only with increasing production capacity but also with high export opportunities (Yılmaz et al. 2008). In recent years, it developed very fast. This sector began with rainbow trout culture in the early 1970s. In addition, minor attempts were carried out in terms of sea farming until 1985, beginning with gilthead sea bream and sea bass culture in the Aegean Sea (Aydın et al. 2005). However, in recent years both freshwater and sea farming have an increasingly important role in the production of fishery products. However, marine aquaculture production developed faster than fresh water aquaculture. During the 1990s, marine finfish aquaculture production Fig. 1. Aquaculture and capture fisheries productions (tons/ year) obtained from seas and freshwaters in Turkey between 1996 and 2008. (Anonymous 1996-2008) in Turkey focused on three major species: sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax), sea bream (Sparus aurata) and rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) (Yucel-Gier et al. 2009). Mariculture production, as in other Mediterranean countries, has developed rapidly in Turkey over the past two decades. Greece, Turkey and Spain were the leading producers in the Mediterranean (Akyol and Ertosluk 2009). In Turkey, total marine aquaculture production raised to 85,629 t in 2008 from 35 t, since the establishment of the first finfish cage farm on the İzmir coast of the Aegean Sea in 1985. Marine aquaculture production depends principally on coastal cage farming in Turkey, inasmuch as only a small amount is produced in land-based systems. Of cage farms, 92 percent are located in the Aegean region, where geographical and hydrographical conditions are suitable for the cultivated species (Yucel-Gier et al. 2009). Moreover, brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis), brown trout (Salmo trutta), turbot (Psetta maxima), red porgy (Pagrus pagrus), and grouper (Epinephelus guaza) are produced in experimental or pilot scales; that is to say, non-commercial in some farms. In addition, a recent development is the fattened bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) caught in the Mediterranean in May and June, and subsequently farmed in large cages (Yıldırım 2008). The aim of this study is to evaluate the problems and solutions to problems in aquaculture sector in Turkey.
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