Current Status, Problems, Solution Suggestions and Future Focuses of Aquaculture in Türkiye

Abstract

Türkiye is a peninsula covered by the Black, Marmara, Aegean and Mediterranean Sea. Also, it has large lakes and rivers. Therefore, its geographical advantage has enabled it to have a significant potential in the aquaculture sector.In Türkiye, a significant amount of production is carried out by both fishing (sea and freshwater fisheries) and aquaculture. Aquaculture, especially in recent years, offers great potential for sustainable fish production and economic gain. Gilt-head bream (Sparus aurata) and European seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax) are popular fish especially in the Mediterranean region (Llorente et al., 2020), and are extensively farmed in Türkiye. Since the 2000s, Türkiye has achieved a great increase in gilt-head bream and seabass farming, and has become one of the world leaders in this field. By 2020, Türkiye's total sea bream and sea bass production reached over 200,000 tonnes (FEAP, 2022). The aquaculture sector contains many ecological, economic and social challenges. To overcome these challenges, all stakeholders should meet and discuss regularly.  The views and suggestions of various stakeholders, such as local communities, fishermen, growers, researchers and government officials, are vital for the future of the sector. In this context, the impact of some sectors that are indirectly related to the aquaculture sector may also make significant contributions to the process.