Analysis of the second generation buy-back program for fishing vessels in Turkey

Many implementations are put into practice on the national and international scale for the purpose of enabling the sustainable use of living marine resources. The Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock published a notification in 2012 and the buy-back program for fishing vessels was initiated to keep the balance between the fish stocks and fishing capacity, prevent overfishing and enable sustainable fishing. While 12 m and larger vessels were considered in the first program, length of the vessels was reduced 10 m in the second. The aim of this study is to reveal the results of the related program. A telephone interview was applied to the owners of 207 fishing vessels determined through the stratified sampling method among 446 fishing vessels in 2014. In the 2nd program, 446 fishing vessels were withdrawn from the fleet by paying 51 million TL in total. Mostly the buy-back of the fishing vessels with the length of 10-20 meters (440 vessels) was carried out, and the fishing vessels with the length of 21-30 meters (6 vessels) were bought back at the least. Most of the vessels (44%) were from the Marmara and the least was from the Mediterranean Regions (19%). Only 9% of the vessels bough-back was trawl or purse seine vessels. It was found that 28% of vessel owners have a second vessel and gave the inactive or unprofitable vessels they had to the buy-back program. Furthermore, 62% of the individuals who gave their vessels stated that they will continue working in the fishing industry, and 27% of respondents stated that they will buy a new fishing vessel. As a result; buy-back program is one of the most important management implication of fisheries management authority in recent years. However, it should be considered by the managers that the large vessel owners have not shown interest in the program. One of every four fishermen giving his vessel is also a second vessel owner, and he gives his inactive vessel to the program, and the fishers have a similar tendency to buy a second vessel with the money they receive from the program. However, it is the basic approach that should be taken into account by the fisheries management authority to take advantage of relevant global experiences to ensure the highest possible benefit from the buy-back programs. This approach should at least be followed in future buy-back programs