The Turkish Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, in collaboration with the General Directorate of Fisheries and Aquaculture, has undertaken an formidable initiative geared toward cleansing up ghost fishing gear via the undertaking “Ghost Fishing Gear Cleanup.”
The nation’s minister of agriculture and forestry, Ibrahim Yumaklı, revealed his intention to proceed this very important work by aiming to retrieve a further 100,000 sq. meters of ghost fishing gear from the waters earlier than the 12 months’s finish.
Under the “Ghost Fishing Gear Cleanup Project,” groups from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, beneath the Directorate of Fisheries and Aquaculture, have been diligently eradicating deserted ghost fishing gear from the ocean, lakes and reservoirs.
The undertaking, which has spanned from 2014 to 2021, initially targeted on the areas of Istanbul, Kocaeli, Tekirdağ, Yalova, Balıkesir, Çanakkale, Bursa, Izmir, Mersin, Hatay, Adana, Muğla, Aydın, Rize, Sinop, Konya, Isparta, Antalya and Ankara, addressing the issue of ghost fishing gear within the seas and lakes.
In 2022, the undertaking expanded to incorporate the cleanup of ghost fishing gear in rivers.
The collective results of these in depth undertakings has been the scanning of 166 million sq. meters of inner waters and seas, finally resulting in the elimination of roughly 1 million sq. meters of fishing nets and 40,000 traps, gillnets and comparable discarded fishing tools.
Further steps are being taken to handle ghost fishing gear found within the seas round Istanbul and in Bafa Lake. The work will persist all year long.
Academic analysis and area research recommend that for each 100 meters of misplaced fishing internet, it’s estimated that 309 aquatic creatures, together with fish, turtles and mollusks, perish in these lethal traps.
The undertaking’s influence is nothing in need of spectacular, with roughly 2.5 million aquatic creatures saved via the elimination of fishing nets and a further 250,000 via traps and gillnets.
Addressing the ghost gear drawback isn’t restricted to cleanup efforts alone; the ministry additionally conducts schooling initiatives. “Ghost Fishing Gear Awareness Events” happen yearly, involving district governors, native authorities, related public establishments and organizations, fishing cooperatives, business and novice fishermen and nongovernmental organizations.
In 2023, to foster consciousness and schooling, scientists, researchers and technical personnel carried out displays in Ankara, Konya, Van, Elazığ, Samsun, Bursa, Muğla, Eskişehir, Antalya and Isparta.
These applications collectively drew the participation of 747 people.
In the coastal areas bordering the Marmara Sea, specifically Istanbul, Kocaeli, Tekirdağ, Yalova, Balıkesir, Çanakkale and Bursa, fishermen have been consulted to establish the places of ghost fishing gear.
Consequently, 84,650 sq. meters of nets have been eliminated beneath the Marmara Sea Action Plan, with continued efforts scheduled every year.
Moreover, the retrieved nets, these deemed appropriate for repurposing, are despatched for recycling, thus contributing to varied sectors.
Source: www.dailysabah.com