Fish farms investigated
Güncelleme Tarihi:
Doğan News Agency
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Kasım 13, 2008 00:00
BODRUM - A committee of 14 deputies from Parliament’s Environment Commission starts to investigate the fish farm problem in Güllük Bay. Deputies say they will do whatever it takes to move the farms seriously polluting the sea
Fish farms in Muğla’s Güllük Bay, in Turkey’s Aegean region, have been investigated by 14 deputies from Parliament’s Environment Commission following reports of pollution.
Nuri Uslu, from the Justice and Development Party, or AKP, and head of the Environment Commission, said fish farms on the bay’s shores and close to nearby islands had previously polluted the surrounding sea and were an eyesore. "For this reason we will make sure that whatever can be done to move the fish farms to a new location expeditiously, will be done."
The 14 deputies travelled to Muğla in Bodrum, leaving from Torba Port on the yacht "Derinbey" in the early hours of the morning after a memorial ceremony commemorating Atatürk’s death. They visited the İkiz Islands, Yılan Island and offshore fish farms. Caimacam Abdullah Kalkan and other local officials and representatives of the fishing industry accompanied the deputies.
Representatives from the tourism industry, despite being invited, did not join the trip. During the four hour yacht trip to Güllük Bay on the luxury 35 meter yacht, there was a briefing on the history of fish farming and its environmental effects. Four deputies and three experts became seasick during the voyage, while other deputies chose to sleep on the deck in the 28 degree weather.
Mehmet Erdoğan, an Adıyaman deputy from the AKP, appeared to be enjoying mixing work with pleasure and was seen taking off his jacket and sunbathing on the yacht’s deck.
"Speed up the bureaucratic processes and we will move in three months," Hadi Kayhan, the provincial director for agriculture said after the briefing. "ÇED reports have been finalized and fish farms will be moved to newly designated locations quickly. Then there will be no pollution," he said.
İhsan Bozan, president of a marine agricultural association in Muğla, said ÇED reports had been completed Oct. 15. "After the reports’ approval, new locations will be allocated. If the bureaucracy moves fast, farms could move to their new locations within three months," Bozan said. Fish agriculturists want to move to the new location to avoid similar problems in the future. "Last time, in 2003, they told us to move to a location chosen by three ministries, which we did, but now we are being told to move again. This industry cannot handle changing locations every five years, physically or financially," Bozan said, adding they were sorry to keep hearing complaints from the tourism industry about the farms.
While indicating the new locations of the fish farms on a map, Caimacam Kalkan said community members who criticised his views on local tourism and fishing, should learn to be more objective and listen to his views before responding. Agriculturists should put themselves in the position of tourism industry operators and vica versa, Kalkan said, adding, "The two industries should not be enemies, but supporters of each other. The riches of the country are too precious. If we cannot preserve them for future generations, both industries will not exist in the years to come."
Farms must be relocated
Uslu, after the four hour yacht trip, said the scene caused by the fish farms, was not a pretty one. The commission believed the newly designated locations would not harm either industry and that whatever could be done to speed up the legal process would be done. He added they had been told members of the tourism industry would be there and he was sorry they were not, "We heard their comments and those of environmentalists from the farms during a meeting in Muğla, so we will also evaluate those comments."
After observations at Güllük Bay, members of the commission enjoyed a fish banquet at a local restaurant. The banquet was hosted by Mehmet Yavuz Demir, mayor of Güllük from the AKP, Şahin Aslan, Caimacam from Milas and businessman Sami Kont. The deputies left for Izmir with 5 kilogram boxes of bream each.
Nuri Uslu, from the Justice and Development Party, or AKP, and head of the Environment Commission, said fish farms on the bay’s shores and close to nearby islands had previously polluted the surrounding sea and were an eyesore. "For this reason we will make sure that whatever can be done to move the fish farms to a new location expeditiously, will be done."
The 14 deputies travelled to Muğla in Bodrum, leaving from Torba Port on the yacht "Derinbey" in the early hours of the morning after a memorial ceremony commemorating Atatürk’s death. They visited the İkiz Islands, Yılan Island and offshore fish farms. Caimacam Abdullah Kalkan and other local officials and representatives of the fishing industry accompanied the deputies.
Representatives from the tourism industry, despite being invited, did not join the trip. During the four hour yacht trip to Güllük Bay on the luxury 35 meter yacht, there was a briefing on the history of fish farming and its environmental effects. Four deputies and three experts became seasick during the voyage, while other deputies chose to sleep on the deck in the 28 degree weather.
Mehmet Erdoğan, an Adıyaman deputy from the AKP, appeared to be enjoying mixing work with pleasure and was seen taking off his jacket and sunbathing on the yacht’s deck.
"Speed up the bureaucratic processes and we will move in three months," Hadi Kayhan, the provincial director for agriculture said after the briefing. "ÇED reports have been finalized and fish farms will be moved to newly designated locations quickly. Then there will be no pollution," he said.
İhsan Bozan, president of a marine agricultural association in Muğla, said ÇED reports had been completed Oct. 15. "After the reports’ approval, new locations will be allocated. If the bureaucracy moves fast, farms could move to their new locations within three months," Bozan said. Fish agriculturists want to move to the new location to avoid similar problems in the future. "Last time, in 2003, they told us to move to a location chosen by three ministries, which we did, but now we are being told to move again. This industry cannot handle changing locations every five years, physically or financially," Bozan said, adding they were sorry to keep hearing complaints from the tourism industry about the farms.
While indicating the new locations of the fish farms on a map, Caimacam Kalkan said community members who criticised his views on local tourism and fishing, should learn to be more objective and listen to his views before responding. Agriculturists should put themselves in the position of tourism industry operators and vica versa, Kalkan said, adding, "The two industries should not be enemies, but supporters of each other. The riches of the country are too precious. If we cannot preserve them for future generations, both industries will not exist in the years to come."
Farms must be relocated
Uslu, after the four hour yacht trip, said the scene caused by the fish farms, was not a pretty one. The commission believed the newly designated locations would not harm either industry and that whatever could be done to speed up the legal process would be done. He added they had been told members of the tourism industry would be there and he was sorry they were not, "We heard their comments and those of environmentalists from the farms during a meeting in Muğla, so we will also evaluate those comments."
After observations at Güllük Bay, members of the commission enjoyed a fish banquet at a local restaurant. The banquet was hosted by Mehmet Yavuz Demir, mayor of Güllük from the AKP, Şahin Aslan, Caimacam from Milas and businessman Sami Kont. The deputies left for Izmir with 5 kilogram boxes of bream each.