| Abstract |
Anchovy alone
accounts for the 60% of the captured fish in Turkey. Moreover, since 1990s
Turkey is the main exploiter of this precious resource which, was believed to
be over 1 million tones in early 1980s. On the other hand, anchovy,
spawning in the north and overwintering in the south of the Black Sea, is of a
typical transboundary shared stock. Giving this status of the species and with
the accession of Bulgaria and Romania to the European Union, its stocks are
being assessed by the Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for
Fisheries (STECF) of the European Commission, to determine TAC in an attempt to
ensure sustainable exploitation of the stocks. Utilizing this resource an
important sector encompassing a wide range of branches from fishers to
shipyards; transporters to fish meal and oil factories, has been grown in
Turkey. A sound management strategy targeting sustainable exploitation of the
stock, is therefore gained utmost importance not only for the economic benefits
of the country but also to ensure possession of the use rights of the
stock.
Middle
East Technical University, together with Trabzon Fisheries Research Centre
under the auspices of the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock launched
a new project funded by Scientific and Technological Research Council of
Turkey. To monitor the species which is evidently very sensitive to the
climatic variability, and to create a modern technical and scientific
infrastructure necessary to provide sound management guidance and so that to
support National Fisheries Data Collection Program are among the main
targets of the project. To reach this goal, the research vessel of the
Middle East Technical University conducted seven surveys covering the entire
extend of the Turkish Exclusive Economic zone in the Black Sea; while renovated
vessel of the Trabzon Fisheries Research Centre surveyed the most
important overwintering and fishing grounds of anchovy over the continental
shelf of the southeast Black Sea. The data collected has been analyzed
and stock assessment reports were sent the international fisheries commissions.
By this way the project helped decision makers to take management measures
targeting sustainability in the exploitation, as well taking important steps to
protect Turkey’s fishing rights in the Black Sea.
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