Urgent Change in Management Measures Required to Save Turkish Fisheries from Collapse

Abstract

Since the 1960s, the Black Sea ecosystem has experienced dramatic changes. Most noticeable is the almost complete absence of larger pelagic fish due to overfishing in the 1960s and 1970s. After the removal of these larger pelagic fish and the associated predation pressure, there was a rapid growth in populations of smaller pelagic fish, especially anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolis) and sprat (Sprattus sprattus), which comprised 75% of Turkish Black Sea reported catches in the 2000s [1].