Fishing near sea-cage farms along the coast of the Turkish Aegean Sea

Abstract

This study reports on the yield of commercially important species captured intentionally around and under fish-cage farms using specific types of gear from both sea-cage farmers and artisanal fishermen, and to identify the species composition of these catches. The 2004-2008 research was carried out in 21 fish farms, randomly chosen along the coast of Izmir Province on the Aegean Sea. A total of 91 persons were interviewed, including directors, fishers from the fish farms and artisanal fishermen. The technical characteristics of a special trap used by some fish farmers were diagramed. Total wild fish catch quantities as well the species raised in the sea-cages were recorded. A total of 34 finfish and four invertebrate species were identified from the sea-cage farm fishery. Eight fish species according to the descending quantities raised were bogue (Boops boops), grey mullet (Mugil spp.), blackspot seabream (Pagellus bogaraveo), salema (Sarpa salpa), common two-banded seabream (Diplodus vulgaris), annular seabream (Diplodus annularis), striped seabream (Lithognathus mormyrus) and gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata). Mean quantities of wild fish caught from 2004 to 2008 in a sampled farm were 13 998 ± 210, 34 434 ± 482, 30 116 ± 529, 27 893 ± 429, and 32 366 ± 808 kg, respectively. There were significant differences between fish amounts and years (P < 0.05).

Spatial and temporal extension of wild fish aggregations at Sparus aurata and Thunnus thynnus farms in the north-western Mediterranean

“…Fishing near fish farms is a common practice that has been reported in Spain (Fernandez-Jover et al 2008, Arechavala-Lopez et al 2011, Croatia (Šegvić Bubić et al 2011), Greece (Machias et al 2006) and Norway (Maurstad et al 2007), and even within farms in Turkey (Akyol & Ertosluk 2010). The farms studied here are located in waters within the jurisdiction of the local government, which has not implemented any fishing restrictions in their vicinity.…”

Waste feed from coastal fish farms: A trophic subsidy with compositional side-effects for wild gadoids

“…Wild fish populations at aquaculture sites are subject to several anthropogenic impacts, including fishing (Akyol and Ertosluk, 2010) or aquaculture-originated contaminants (DeBruyn et al, 2006;Bustnes et al, in press). …”

Movements of grey mullet Liza aurata and Chelon labrosus associated with coastal fish farms in the western Mediterranean Sea

“…and may therefore benefit from this 'biomass export' at a local scale (Machias et al 2006, Akyol & Ertosluk 2010). Knowledge about the connectivity of fish farms and other marine areas through wild fish movements is crucial to understand how fish farming and wild fish stocks interact, which, in turn, is essential for managing aquaculture and fisheries in coastal zones.…”