Pufferfish Catch Support Quota Increased to 1 Million Units
· GZT
The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry has increased the support ceiling for fishermen fivefold to 1 million units as part of efforts to combat the invasive pufferfish.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry has made a comprehensive change to the support program implemented to accelerate the fight against the invasive pufferfish, which threatens the coastal ecosystem. According to the new regulation published in the Official Gazette and coming into effect, the upper limit of support paid to fishermen has been increased from 200,000 units to 1 million units. It was announced that the new regulation prepared by the Ministry will be valid from January 1, 2026. This fivefold increase in the quota aims to protect marine biodiversity and compensate for the income losses of fishermen.
A total of 7 different invasive pufferfish species, including lagocephalus spadiceus and lagocephalus lagocephalus, will be supported within the scope of the application. The General Directorate of Fisheries and Aquaculture will automatically stop purchasing operations via the Fisheries Information System (SUBIS) once the determined quota of 1 million units is reached. Simultaneously with the system's closure, a public announcement will be made on the official website of the General Directorate. Fishermen will be able to monitor the current purchasing status in real-time from the system, and the caught species will be recorded.
| Value | Period | Measure |
|---|---|---|
| 1 million units | 2026 | New fishing support upper limit |
| 200 thousand units | — | Old support upper limit |
| 7 units | — | Invasive pufferfish species within scope |