Fish population drops in Konyaaltı Coast | Expert warns of reefs
The fish population is very low in Konyaaltı, Antalya’s world-famous coast. Stating that a reef should be built on the coast, where anglers complain of returning empty-handed from the hunts, experts warned, “Since the Gulf of Antalya is under hunting pressure from many fishermen, an artificial reef is needed.”
In different parts of the city, especially Antalya’s world-famous Konyaaltı Beach, fishermen who own boats with nets thrown from the shore and amateur fishermen with fishing rods are hunting.
Fishermen who hunt in the pastures where there are many fish, especially bream, coral, red mullet, black sea bream, red mullet, mullet and sea bass, complained that the coasts of Antalya have turned into a desert in the last few years and it has become difficult to catch fish.
Anglers who buy bait by allocating an average budget of 300 to 500 liras for each fish hunt also complained about the scarcity of fish. The anglers, who complain about the lack of an area at the bottom of the coast where the fish can nest or hunt, argue that regulations should be introduced especially for commercial fishermen who approach the shore on the coast and fish by laying nets.
“THE MEDITERRANEAN AND THE GULF OF ANTALYA ARE AMONG THE EXPLOITED SEAS”
Prof. Dr. Mehmet Gökoğlu from Akdeniz University Faculty of Fisheries said that the Mediterranean and the Gulf of Antalya are under serious fishing pressure.
Prof. Dr. Gökoğlu said, “The Mediterranean and the Gulf of Antalya are among the most exploited seas. It is the sea with the highest hunting pressure in terms of hunting. Because the Mediterranean is like an inland sea. Everyone is trying to get something from the Mediterranean. Since the Gulf of Antalya is under fishing pressure from many fishermen, there is a need for artificial reefs. Of course, we should not have fishing on these reefs. We need to protect them,” he said. Stating that a few places determined in the Gulf of Antalya should be banned from fishing, Prof. Dr. Gökoğlu said that in this way, fish with increasing populations can support fishing along the coast. Noting that seagrass meadows are also dying due to temperature and pollution, Prof. Dr. Gökoğlu said, “Our bays have become desert. Anchor chains are increasing in large numbers. These meadows are the forests of the seas. They clean the water, form the food chain of many living things, and prevent in-sea erosion.”
“REEFS SHOULD BE BUILT NEAR THE SHORE”
Selim Çetin, President of Antalya Amateur Fishing Solidarity Platform, said that he has been interested in amateur fishing for 16 years.
Explaining that there are no fish left especially in Konyaaltı Beach compared to previous years and that he returns empty-handed from every hunt, Çetin said, “There is a need for a reef in this region. We have raised this issue to the authorities before, but still no step has been taken. Such studies have been carried out in provinces in the Aegean Region, especially in Izmir, and they have been productive.”
“THE MEDITERRANEAN HAS TURNED INTO A DESERT”
Çetin stated that he could not make sense of returning empty-handed from the hunts for which he allocated a budget of more than 600 liras and said, “The reef should definitely be built. Studies should be carried out for the development of fish in the region. There may be baiting. Especially the boats that lay nets and hunt near the coastline should be regulated.” Edip Alper, a member of the Antalya Amateur Fishing Solidarity Platform, said that he remembers the days when he used to fish on the beach with his father, and compared to those days, the beach has turned into a desert. Alper said, “I have been fishing on the beach for 20 years. There were many fish back then. Unconscious hunting is the reason for this. It is also a reason why boats cast nets very close to the shore. The Mediterranean has turned into a desert. Artificial reefs should be built and fishing should be supervised.”
