Interaction between marine turtles and artisanal fisheries in the eastern mediterranean: A probable cause for concern?

1998-01-01
Godley, Brendan J.
Broderick, Annette C.
Furness, Robert W.
Gücü, Ali Cemal
Solomon, Sarah E.
A survey of the levels of marine turtle bycatch in the small-boat based fisheries in northern Cyprus and the Turkish Mediterranean (Alanya to Mersin) was undertaken by questioning a sample of fishermen (n = 54) in all harbours in the survey region. Fishermen in Turkey caught an estimated 2.5 turtles/boat/year versus an estimated 4.0 turtles/boat/year in Cyprus. This yielded a likely minimum bycatch estimate of over 2,000 marine turtles per year in the region. An estimated 10% of turtles were thought to be dead at the point of capture. Turtles were caught in both nets and on long-lines and were perceived as detrimental to the livelihood of fishermen either by damaging nets, spoiling catch or removing bait. Although few fishermen admitted to deliberately killing turtles, a larger proportion thought others did so. Given the likelihood that a proportion of sea turtles caught will be Green Turtles (Chelonia mydas), and due to the highly endangered status of this species in this region, interaction with these fisheries is thought to constitute a real threat to marine turtles in the eastern Mediterranean.
Zoology in the Middle East

Suggestions

Relative body condition of red mullet (Mullus barbatus) and its applicability as an indicator of environmental status
Gücü, Ali Cemal; Ünlüoğlu, Aydın; Ok, Meltem; Karakulak, Firdes Saadet; Aydin, Coskun Menderes; Sarigoz, Suleyman; Beken, Sevcan Colpan Polat (2021-06-01)
This study examines the ratio between length and body weight of 4191 specimens of a prevalent, tertiary tropic level Teleost fish, red mullet (Mullus barbatus) sampled using a standard survey protocol from more than 2500 km by the coasts of Turkey extending along the Mediterranean, Aegean, and the Black Sea. The study's primary aim was to investigate whether there is a correspondence between the body condition of the red mullet and the environmental status independently determined based on lower trophic lev...
Fish assemblage and diversity in lakes of western and central Turkey: role of geo-climatic and other environmental variables
Boll, Thomas; Levi, Eti E.; Bezirci, Gizem; Ozulug, Mufit; Tavsanoglu, Ulku Nihan; Cakiroglu, Ayse Idil; Ozcan, Seval; Brucet, Sandra; Jeppesen, Erik; Beklioğlu, Meryem (2016-05-01)
We conducted a fish survey in 40 lakes in western and central Turkey. Fifty species (one to eleven per lake) were recorded, including eighteen endemic and seven alien species. We investigated which local geo-climatic and other environmental variables shaped the fish assemblages. Altitude and temperature turned out to be the most important factors for total species richness as well as richness of omnivorous and zooplanktivorous species and the Shannon-Wiener diversity index, with more species and higher dive...
A study on cobalt adaptation and memory retention of freshwater bacteria isolates
Çıtır, Gözde; Gözen, Ayşe Gül; Department of Biology (2010)
The mucus-dwelling bacteria previously isolated from the surface of a freshwater fish species (Alburnus alburnus from Lake Mogan, Ankara), were studied to discover their cobalt resistance. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) were determined for a total of thirty six bacterial isolates. The results of the resistance studies led us to design experiments on adaptation to cobalt and subsequent memory retention. Three selected isolates were exposed to an inhibitory cobalt concentration as a mixed culture...
State of the fisheries along the Turkish Mediterranean coast
Gücü, Ali Cemal (Elsevier , 1994-01-01)
Historical fisheries data on Turkish Mediterranean Waters for the past 50 yr are reviewed. Characteristics of the fishing ground, fishing fleet, and fish stocks are described and from the relationship bvetween fishing power of the fishing fleet, and total amount of fish landed, maximum sustainable yield (MSY) has been estimated. On the basis of trawlable fish data, it is found that maximum yield (only for trawl fishery) to be obtained from the Turkish Mediterranean Waters should not exceed 7700 tons, and th...
Recent status and fate of the north-eastern Mediterranean monk seal populations.
KURT, MERVE; Ok, Meltem; Gücü, Ali Cemal (2019-12-09)
The endangered Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus) is represented by approximately 350-450 individuals in Eastern Mediterranean waters in the form of small, fragmented and isolated groups. The North-eastern Mediterranean coast of Turkey being the host to one of the last continuously breeding populations, has vital importance for the survival of the species. Small populations inhabiting this region have been studied extensively for the last 25 years. The recent surveys showed that fragmented populati...
Citation Formats
B. J. Godley, A. C. Broderick, R. W. Furness, A. C. Gücü, and S. E. Solomon, “Interaction between marine turtles and artisanal fisheries in the eastern mediterranean: A probable cause for concern?,” Zoology in the Middle East, pp. 49–64, 1998, Accessed: 00, 2020. [Online]. Available: https://hdl.handle.net/11511/31791.