Both the public and private sectors have widely recognized that Turkey lacks an administrative and technical infrastructure capable of conducting large-scale research and development work in the fisheries sector. The presence of this institutional obstacle has been noted in a number of reports prepared under the auspices of both national and international agencies during the past 15 years.
The first measures to achieve the establishment of a central fisheries administration were taken after the Fisheries Law No. 1380 was passed in 1971. This law envisaged the establishment of a central fisheries administration under the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Animal Production, and as a consequence a General Directorate of Water Products was established in 1972. Although the Government has shown some receptivity to the expansion of this incipient organization into one capable of meeting the heavy responsibilities set forth in the law, the present administration is still embryonic and is, therefore, unable to fulfil its responsibilities. It is, therefore, of paramount importance to effect large-scale changes in its present organization and operation, provision of personnel, physical facilities, equipment and training opportunities.
The Marine Fishery Development Project TUR/70/540 recommended the establishment of a central fisheries administration as its top priority recommendation. In view of this situation, a small-scale project (TUR/73/031) was financed from the planning reserve in the Country Programme oriented principally to assist the development of this embryonic central fisheries administration, and to promote institutional cooperation among the many agencies, both governmental and nongovernmental, engaged in activities in the fisheries sector.
According to the Third Five-Year Plan (1973–77) priority is given in the agricultural sector to those branches of production which provide raw material for industry, and to those which increase production in fields such as cattle breeding, fishing, fruit and vegetable cultivation, which, besides providing for nutrition, are also closely related to the development of exports.
It is expected that fish production will be increased to 256 000 t by 1977, and that this will be achieved by an average annual increase in production of 8.4 percent. It is planned to raise the per caput fish consumption from 4.5 kg in 1972 to 6.0 kg in 1977 by an average annual increase of 3.5 percent. Furthermore, during the period of the Third Five-Year Plan it is expected that exports of fish and fish products will increase by 4.2 percent per annum and that 4 000 t of fish and 1 500 t of shellfish will be exported by 1977.
During the Third Five-Year Plan about TL 800 million (1971 prices) are expected to be channelled into the fisheries sector from both public and private sources. At present the fisheries resources, both marine and inland, are underutilized and, therefore, do not make their full potential contribution to the GNP. The fisheries sector contributed an estimated 0.19 percent to the GNP in 1972. The planned annual increase in fisheries production during the Second Five-Year Plan (1967–72) was 9.1 percent; however, the actual annual increase was 5.1 percent. It should be noted that during this period a central fisheries administration was virtually nonexistent. The realization of the planned economic development of the fisheries sector during the Third Five-Year Plan will depend to a large extent on the full establishment and operational capability of the governmental fisheries administration.
In March 1973 the Government requested the services of a Fisheries Adviser to assist principally with the development of the fisheries administration in the General Directorate of Water Products of the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Animal Production, which was designated as the government cooperating agency. The expert arrived in Turkey on 11 July 1973, and the Project Document was signed on 7 September by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on behalf of the Government of Turkey, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
The UNDP contribution to the project was US$ 33 600 and consisted of one Fisheries Adviser for 12 months, administrative support and reporting costs. The government contribution to the project was to have been principally counterparts; however, counterparts were not provided till the last month of the project when a new General Director of Water Products was appointed and one counterpart was nominated. During the project certain staff members of the General Directorates of Water Products accompanied the expert on field trips, and on visits to other governmental agencies concerned with the fisheries sector.
The purpose of the project was to assist the recently established fishery administration (General Directorate of Water Products) in the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Animal Production in developing the technical and administrative capability to formulate and implement development programmes and to carry out its administrative responsibilities, both in the marine and inland fisheries sector.
A survey was to be made of the organization, staff and functions of the principal governmental and nongovernmental agencies in the fisheries sector, both with reference to responsibilities as set forth in the Fisheries Law No. 1380, and to their actual activities.
Assistance was also to be given in evaluating the recommendations emanating from the Marine Fishery Development Project TUR/70/540 and assessing further administrative requirements necessary for their implementation with particular emphasis on the responsibilities of the General Directorate of Water Products, and of the Ministry of Commerce in the field of marketing; and in providing a survey of existing information on inland fisheries and fish culture as a basis for formulating work programmes in this field.
FAO acknowledges the assistance given to the expert by the following members of the staff of the General Directorate of Water Products, during the final stages of his assignment: Dr. Adnan Öztürk, General Director of Water Products, Mr. Üzeyir Solak, Director of International Affairs, Mr. Muzaffer Bumin and Mr. Ersöz Sayin, both of the Inland Fisheries and Fish Culture Section. Further acknowledgement in due to Mr. Mustafa Hasekioğlu of the State Hydraulics Works (DSI) who provided most of the data on inland fisheries and fish culture, and also to Mr. Cahit Yüreker of the Fisheries Section of the Ministry of Forests for providing information on the fisheries activities in forest areas.
