Mariculture Parks in Turkey

Güzel Yücel-Gier1

Abstract

Turkish marine aquaculture has seen rapid growth along the Aegean coastline since 2000. This case study focuses on Mariculture Parks in Gulluk Bay where 55 percent of total marine aquaculture production occurs. Conflict with other coastal zone stakeholders prompted new regulation from the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization (MEU).

In 2007 new regulations for Gulluk Bay lead to the definition of two mariculture zones. These cover 20.8 percent and 0.45 percent of the area licensed for the cages of the Bay. This was done by a Turkish Inter-Ministerial Consortium, in conjunction with the Mugla Fish Farmers Association.
Site selection and zoning addressed basic issues through a participatory process involving stakeholders, scientists and central government. This has subsequently proved to be a weak point in the whole process. The two mariculture zones were evaluated separately in Gulluk Bay.
Two total zoning EIA reports were separately produced for the Bodrum zone and for the Milas zone. Monitoring is done by government officers. Aquaculture zoning, spatial planning, aquaculture management, and risk mapping are among the most important issues for the success of aquaculture. They need to be carried out in accordance with sustainability and best practice guidelines. Turkey has recently focused on such issues and is trying to set guidelines which will enable true sustainability to take place. When we look at the whole EIA process it needs the estimation of carrying capacity for a new aquaculture potential area and harmonisation with the monitoring and management system to be used.

1 The views expressed in this information product are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of FAO or the World Bank Group.

Yücel-Gier, G. 2017. Mariculture Parks in Turkey. In J. Aguilar-Manjarrez, D. Soto & R. Brummett. Aquaculture zoning, site selection and area management under the ecosystem approach to aquaculture. Full document, pp. 314–331. Report ACS113536. Rome, FAO, and World Bank Group, Washington, DC. 395 pp.