The conclusions of the mission are:
that there are adequate physical and climatological conditions in the Iskenderun Bay area for the development of shrimp, sea bream and sea bass aquaculture industries
that there may however be risks from pollution or pesticide run-off
that suitable seed stocks and technologies exist or can be introduced to establish such industries
that land-based systems of production are technically viable
that services, equipment and materials necessary for the construction and operation of farms are available in the region or can be imported from other areas
that the availability of land suitable by soil type and elevation above sea level for semi-intensive production systems is limited
that the availability of land suitable for concrete raceway systems for intensive cultivation of marine fish is widespread
that the use of coastal land for aquaculture might in favourable circumstances give significantly higher returns to producers than current agricultural use
that markets exist for products which could be supplied from aquaculture in the Iskenderun Bay area, but that detailed market assessments are needed prior to any decision to invest
that the markets, infrastructure and expertise available locally are not adequate to guarantee the best returns to farmers for their products
that investment in semi-intensive shrimp production may when developed give attractive returns to the investor
that investment in semi-intensive sea bream production may give attractive returns to the investor
that investment in intensive sea bass production would not appear to give adequate returns to the investor without substantial subsidy for development costs
that the production of shrimp, sea bass and sea bream involves high capital and operating expenditures before positive returns can be established
that the development of aquaculture industries in the region will require the establishing of pilot projects with suitable technical assistance
that the development of small-scale aquaculture in the region will require substantial support to reduce initial development costs, to provide technical assistance and to provide essential services for the supply of seed, training, extension, processing, distribution and marketing. The costs of these should be matched with the expected benefits relating to the scale of development envisaged.
The recommendations of the mission are:
that semi-intensive production of shrimp and sea bream in earth ponds be evaluated at pilot-scale as the basis for commercial production
that methods of reducing the high costs involved in intensive cultivation of sea bass be investigated
that farms to be established develop an independent capability to export to markets in southern Europe
that detailed market studies to identify opportunities and requirements, in both export and national markets, be carried out prior to investment in shrimp farming
that shrimp farming once established in the Iskenderun Bay region gradually develops its own seed production capability
that, for seed supplies, sea bream production be based initially on the collection of wild fry and that a local artificial seed production capability be developed to support sea bream production in the medium term
that environmental conditions and levels of pollution in the areas proposed for aquaculture development be closely monitored
that, in order to enhance the development of small-scale aquaculture by either individuals or cooperative groups, national and international agencies investigate the following:
financial support to make capital available and/or to reduce capital and operating expenses
technical assistance programmes to develop essential expertise in the region
centralized services for training, extension and seed supply
support for the development of processing, distribution and marketing infrastructure and expertise in the region.
