EVALUATION OF FRESHWATER FISHERIES BASED ON LANDING STATISTICS, TURKEY

Abstract

The aim is evaluation of landing freshwater fish, economics, and some assessment on future situation. By using with fishery statistics, economic values of the captured based freshwater fishes were investigated covering period 2008-2017. 21 commercial species were indicated such as; chub ( Leuciscus cephalus ), trout ( Salmo spp.), bream ( Abramis brama ), Beysehir bleak ( Alburnus akili ), sand smelt ( Atherina boyeri ), tarek ( Chalcalburnus tarichi ), tench ( Tinca tinca ), catfish ( Clarias gariepinus ), bighand goby ( Neogobius spp.), mullet ( Mugil spp.), rudd ( Scardinius erythrophthalmus ), frog ( Rana spp.), pike perch ( Perca fluviatilis ), snail ( Helix sp.), common carp ( Cyprinus carpio ), transcaucasian carp, wels ( Silurus glanis ), eel ( Anguilla anguilla ), pike ( Esox lucius ), crayfish ( Astacus leptodactylus ) gibel carp ( Carrasius sp.). They are generally captured with gill nets, trammel nets, pots and cast nets. Total production amount was 31768 tonnes in 2017 and tarek was the leading species with 9830 tonnes and followed by gibel carp (7035 tonnes) and sand smelt (4892 tonnes). Total economic value of captured freshwater species was 95.2 million TL representing 4% of the Turkish fisheries economy. Results showed a gradual decline in the last decade. The decrease in the yearly catch amounts are attributable to some reasons such as pollution, hydro-electric power plant construction, mis-management of freshwaters.