Ministry tightens inspections on illegal fishing

ANKARA

The Agriculture and Forestry Ministry has conducted approximately 67,000 inspections in the first half of the year as part of its campaign against illegal fishing, fining thousands of fishermen and workplaces who did not comply with the regulations.

In the first six months of 2023, the General Directorate of Fisheries and Aquaculture teams conducted 66,764 inspections.

While penal action was taken against 1,263 people and workplaces, 168 tons of fishery products, 635 nets and fishing gear and 11 fishing vessels were seized.

Within the scope of the inspections, landing points, fish markets, transportation routes, processing and evaluation facilities, cold storage, and wholesale and retail outlets were controlled for compliance with the regulations.

According to the law on fisheries and the latest regulation prepared by the ministry, fishing with purse seine and trawl nets was banned between April 15 and Sept. 15 in the Mediterranean and between April 15 and Aug. 31 in other seas.

In addition, new restrictions and responsibilities were introduced in terms of fishing place, time, species and fishing gear, with the communique updated every four years, taking into account the breeding periods and migration routes of fish.

In a statement, Agriculture and Forestry Minister İbrahim Yumaklı emphasized the importance of the sustainability of natural resources.

Pointing out that efforts to protect the marine species continue uninterruptedly, Yumaklı said that they have increased inspections during the hunting ban period, until the new hunting season to start on Sept. 1.