Legislation reflects the importance of conserving resources for future generations
Turgay Türkyilmaz, recently appointed director in the General Directorate of Fisheries and Aquaculture of the Turkish Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, is committed to the sustainable exploitation of Turkish fisheries resources. Here he summarises how fisheries management has evolved over the years to focus on the balance between environmental, economic, and social security
This article was featured in Eurofish Magazine 1 2025.
Fishing regulations in Türkiye date back to the Ottoman Empire, when already in the second half of the 19th century regulations governing the trade in shellfish and the administration of wholesale fish markets in Istanbul were introduced. At that time too these rules sought to restrict the use of publicly available natural resources in favour of the state. These regulations had articles like those in today’s fisheries law; they legalised the obligation of vessels and fishers to obtain a license, and stipulated sanctions such as the confiscation of fishing gear of vessels caught fishing during closed seasons, and the imposition of administrative fines.
Conservation became a priority from the mid-80s
Post-Republic legislative regulations show that the first important steps in the field of fisheries in Türkiye were taken in the 1950s—the first Fisheries Congress was organized in 1951—when several decisions were made to develop fisheries. In the 1970s, there were important developments in Turkish fisheries including the restructuring of existing legislation. In 1971, Fisheries Law No. 1380 was enacted which was last revised in 2020 when it took its current form. From the 1950s to the mid-80s, fisheries policy was designed primarily to effectively exploit the seas; the fleet was modernised and expanded to increase fishing capacity. As it became clear that the resources in the seas were not inexhaustible, the amendments of 1986 to the Fisheries Law No. 1380, the fisheries regulation prepared in accordance with the amended law, circulars, and subsequent communiqués introduced measures aimed at the protection of resources. In the 1990s, Türkiye implemented a capacity control strategy for the fishing fleet and in 1991 ceased issuing licenses for new fishing vessels. However, the easing of this regulation in 1991, 1994, and 2001 led to a new increase in Türkiye’s fishing capacity. In 2002, the issuance of licenses for new fishing vessels at sea was completely stopped. Between 2013 and 2018, support was implemented to reduce fishing capacity. A total of 1,264 fishing vessels were removed from the fleet and approximately 165 million Turkish lira (~EUR46m) was paid in support to the affected fishers.
All stakeholders contribute to shaping fisheries regulations
It is the authority and responsibility of the General Directorate of Fisheries and Aquaculture in the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry to develop policies for sustainable fisheries and aquaculture in Türkiye and to implement these policies. The Fisheries Law No. 1380 and the Fisheries Regulation prepared within the scope of this law are the umbrella legislation for the protection of marine resources, sustainable use, and preservation of stocks. Prohibitions, limitations, and responsibilities regarding fisheries in seas and inland waters in terms of species, size, time, place, and fishing gear are described in the Communiqués on the Regulation of Commercial and Amateur Fishing. While preparing these communiqués, our natural resources, the status of the fisheries and aquaculture sector, as well as Türkiye’s fishing dynamics are taken into consideration. During the preparation process, the opinions and suggestions of all stakeholders such as public institutions and organisations, universities, research institutes, civil society organisations and private sector representatives are collected and evaluated. Following this process, the opinions and suggestions are evaluated by the Aquatic Products Advisory Board, and the Fisheries and Aquatic Products Scientific and Technical Advisory Board, before the communiqués are finalised and put into effect.
Türkiye is a member of regional fisheries management organisations such as the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM), whose main objective is to ensure the good use, rational management, protection, and development of marine resources in the commission’s area of responsibility, as well as the sustainable development of fisheries products, and the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT), which determines protection and management measures aimed at shielding tuna and tuna-like fish species in the Atlantic Ocean and connected seas, as well as sharks and other marine organisms that may be harmed as bycatch or incidental catch. The decisions of regional fisheries management organisations and other international organisations are implemented in Turkish legislation according to our own fisheries dynamics. When these decisions are implemented in the legislation, a detailed comparison is made with Türkiye’s current regulations and the decision that offers the resource most protection is implemented.
Production planning and management plans in fisheries and aquaculture
To ensure the sustainability of stocks and to secure the food supply, the balance between the protection and the use of species of ecological and economic importance has been taken into consideration. As of 2024, fisheries and aquaculture production planning takes into account production, export, import, catchable stock status, scientific studies, environmental and socio-economic factors, development plans, strategic plan and international obligations and statistical data. Under the production plans implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, anchovy, bluefin tuna, pearl mullet, eel, medical leech, white sand mussel, and sea cucumber have been included in the plan for fisheries and aquaculture. To ensure the sustainable use of resources, quotas of the species included in the production plan have been determined and management plans have been prepared.
For example, Türkiye has adopted a new model for the management of anchovy, a major species that constitutes approximately 65% of the total fishing volume, by taking into account its own fishing dynamics. With the new management model, which came into effect on 1 September 2024, the total amount that can be caught has been determined and allocated to each fishing vessel based on the vessel length, the characteristics of the fishing gear used and their fishing potential. This management model is quite different from the models applied in the past. With this model, fishermen hold the right to catch anchovy throughout the season. The volume that can be caught corresponds to the quota allocated to the fishing vessel, and catches are recorded with electronic monitoring systems at landing points, fish markets and factories, in addition to on-site control and inspections. This is a big step for the sustainable fishing of anchovy.
Control and inspection activities ensure compliance
While the establishment of fishing legislation and management plans is important, if the rules are not enforced, they become meaningless. Legislative efforts can only achieve their goals through effective inspection and control activities. The ministry routinely, and also after evaluating notifications and complaints within a certain fisheries programme, organises inspection and control activities. In addition, in provinces where fishing activities are high, personnel working in different provincial directorates are assigned and simultaneous cross-inspections are carried out in teams. To combat illegal, unregistered and unregulated fishing, deterrent sanctions such as administrative fines, fishing licence cancellations, fishing bans and imprisonment are applied. Control and inspection of fisheries plays a role in ensuring effective traceability and is carried out in seas and inland waters, on fishing vessels, at landing points, retail outlets, cold storages, and on transportation routes. The effectiveness of control and inspection activities is constantly being improved as the institutional infrastructure is developed and today remote monitoring systems that record fishing data digitally are being used effectively.
Although Turkish fisheries management has come a long way, it is still evolving. The status of commercially valuable stocks in the Black Sea and the Mediterranean is improving but much remains to be done. Moreover, stock management regimes need take into account new challenges, such as the impacts of global warming, that affect the sector. Türkiye will continue to develop measures that safeguard fisheries resources while allowing their sustainable exploitation.
Turgay Türkyilmaz, Director,
General Directorate of Fisheries
and Aquaculture, Ministry of
Agriculture and Forestry, Türkiye