The event aims to encourage the involvement of the private sector, creating a fertile platform for diverse stakeholders to discuss good practices, challenges and opportunities, and to share ideas about the industry’s vision for building and supporting the sustainable aquaculture and fisheries sectors.
The fifth in the webinar briefing series on the state of the fishery and aquaculture industry was held on 26 March 2021 and focused on Turkey. The event was organized within the scope of the project “Capacity Building for Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture Management in Central Asia, Azerbaijan and Turkey (FISHCap)”, as part of the FAO-Turkey Partnership Programme on Food and Agriculture (FTPP II) funded by the Government of the Republic of Turkey.
Similar to previous webinars, the briefing on Turkey aims to encourage the involvement of the private sector, creating a fertile platform for diverse stakeholders to discuss good practices, challenges and opportunities, and to share ideas about the industry’s vision for building and supporting regional dialogue for sustainable aquaculture and fisheries.
Conducted in English, Russian and Turkish, the webinar provided participants from different parts of the sector with an opportunity to learn about regional perspectives regarding the FISHCap project. The information shared during the event will contribute to a review of Turkey’s National Aquaculture Sector Overview as part of an FAO fact sheet series.
Viorel Gutu, FAO Sub-regional Coordinator for Central Asia and Representative in Turkey, and Altuğ Atalay, Director General of Fisheries and Aquaculture from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of the Republic of Turkey, delivered the opening remarks. Gutu noted that Turkey is one of the leading producers of sea bass and trout worldwide, and complimented the comprehensive view of the industry presented in the webinar, which extended beyond the borders of the targeted country.
In his speech, Atalay noted that the webinar will help create new opportunities for investors, encourage the development of trade, and support improvements in bilateral relations among the beneficiary countries. Atalay also emphasized that Turkey is in accord with international regulations in the field of fishery management.
The webinar consisted of three sessions moderated by Haydar Fersoy, Senior Fishery and Aquaculture Officer at FAO, and examined the state of the fishery and aquaculture industry in Turkey, covering a wide range of topics. In the first session, participants explored themes such as the status of women and youth in the sector, governance frameworks and strategic priorities. Focusing on industry performance, the second session provided a platform to exchange more technical information including legal foundations and market structure. In the last session, participants discussed ways through which the industry might transition towards a more sustainable and productive structure, with industry partners collaborating in a more efficient manner.
The webinar also identified key factors of the Turkish fishery and Aquaculture Sector, notably a shared strategic vision, enabling management and legislative frameworks, state aid schemes, the rapid pace of technological transformation and sectoral partnerships. Salmon aquaculture was presented as an example of a sub-sector on the right path to achieve business success.
About the FAO-Turkey Partnership Programmes
The objectives of the FAO-Turkey Partnership Programmes are to provide support to ensure food security, rural poverty reduction and sustainable forest management, combat desertification and preserve ecosystems in Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan and other countries of mutual interest.
Established in 2007, the first phase of the FAO Turkey Partnership Programme on Food and Agriculture (FTPP) has benefited from trust fund contributions totaling USD 10 million, financed by the Government of Turkey and represented by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. During the first phase of the programme, 28 projects were implemented in 16 countries between 2009-2015.
In 2014, Turkey and FAO commenced the second phase of the FTPP along with the first phase of the FAO-Turkey Forestry Partnership Programme (FTFP) with an additional fund of USD 20 million, bringing Turkey’s total contribution to USD 30 million.
