A Spatial Analysis of Fish Farming in the Context of ICZM in the Bay of Izmir-Turkey

• Published in: Coastal management Vol. 38; no. 4; pp. 399 - 411
• Main Authors: Yucel-Gier, Guzel, Arisoy, Yalcin, Pazi, Idil
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Taylor & Francis Group 01.07.2010; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Aquaculture; Aquaculture development; Bays; Coastal; Coastal management; Coastal zone; Coastal zone management; Coexistence; Construction; Cooperation; Creeks & streams; Eastern Aegean Sea; Farm management; Farms; Fish; Fish culture; Fish farming; Fish farms; Fish industry; Fisheries; Food; Food industry; Frameworks; Geographic information systems; Geographical information systems; GIS; Industry; Information systems; Integrated coastal zone management; Interest groups; Izmir; Management; Marine; Marine transportation; Military personnel; Planning; Poultry farming; Remote sensing; Satellite navigation systems; Sea transport; Spatial analysis; Spatial discrimination; Surface area; Terrestrial environments; Transportation; Water bodies; Turkey; Izmir Turkey; MED, Turkey, Izmir, Izmir Bay; MED, Turkey
• ISSN: 0892-0753; 1521-0421
• DOI: 10.1080/08920753.2010.498111

Cage fish farming is one of the fastest growing food industries, both worldwide and in Turkey. There are growing concerns about the manner of resolving the competing claims for the use of limited coastline and water body space. Matters connected with the siting of fish farming increase the need for the integrated coastal zone planning of aquaculture. This should be undertaken in collusion with other coastal stakeholders and with the cooperation of the government ministries that promote and regulate aquaculture development. In this study the integration and coexistence of fish farms is evaluated in the context of other activities in Izmir Bay. This study shows how different terrestrial and marine activities interact with each other, and that certain areas are subject to layers of multiple usages. One of the major sea users of the Bay, for example, is the fishery sector, which utilizes 850.4 km 2 of a total surface area of Izmir's Bay of 960.4 km 2 . This overlaps with the 113.4 km 2 that are used by marine transportation. Military zones encompass 63.1 km 2 and fish farming utilizes only 1.23 km 2 . This study uses Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to build a spatial database that analyzes conflicting claims for integrating fish farming with other claimants. Clearly planned and properly managed fish farming development should be undertaken within a broader framework of integrated coastal zone management.