The Istanbul and Çanakkale Straits: A Call for Urgent Protection
The Istanbul and Çanakkale straits, along with the shallow continental shelf, are vital biological corridors for migratory fish. These areas are essential not only for Turkey but for the entire Atlantic–Mediterranean–Black Sea ecosystem. As highlighted in Nezih Bilecik’s analysis, industrial fishing must be banned here. Destructive methods such as purse seine and trawl nets rapidly deplete tuna, swordfish, bonito, and bluefish stocks, while also eroding biodiversity.
The straits serve as narrow ecological passages through which Atlantic-Mediterranean species migrate to the Black Sea to feed and spawn. Preventing these cycles means collapse of populations. For this reason, several urgent measures are proposed:
Ban on Purse Seine and Trawl Fishing: The Istanbul and Çanakkale straits should be permanently closed to purse seine and trawl operations, which indiscriminately capture whole schools of fish.
Protected Zones:
Çanakkale Strait: At the southern entrance, a 20-mile semicircular zone should be closed between March 1–August 31 to all industrial fishing.
Istanbul Strait: At both entrances, 15- and 20-mile zones should be closed year-round to purse seine; drift and gill nets should be banned April 1–December 31.
Restriction of Other Methods: Only small-scale, low-impact fishing (baited hooks, longlines, handlines) should be allowed year-round in the straits.
Continental Shelf Protection: The 0–50 meter zone, critical for breeding and juvenile fish, must be closed to trawl fishing. This aligns with EU Regulation 1967/2006, which prohibits trawling in waters shallower than 50 meters or within 300 meters of the coast.
Seasonal control is also crucial. Industrial fishing should be limited to 120 days between November 1–February 28, giving stocks time to spawn at least once. Starting seasons in September targets undersized fish like anchovy and sardine, accelerating depletion. Strict quotas and size limits are also required.
Academic institutions and fisheries faculties should publish a joint declaration demanding protection of these critical areas, freeing decision-makers from industrial lobbying. These measures must be codified in the Fisheries Communiqué and Law No. 1380 for legal certainty.
To date, government responses have ignored scientific warnings. Therefore, international awareness is essential. Compliance with EU fisheries standards offers a strong argument. Reports should be sent to the European Commission and Parliament, emphasizing incompatibility with EU norms.
Joint campaigns with European and global NGOs such as WWF, Greenpeace, and IUCN can highlight how unsustainable fishing in the straits threatens not only Turkey but the entire Mediterranean. The issue can also be raised under the Barcelona Convention, and Turkey’s breach of FAO’s Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries should be documented.
Finally, the global academic community must be engaged. Scientific articles, international conferences, and policy forums should highlight the straits as irreplaceable biological corridors. Without urgent intervention, migratory fish stocks risk irreversible collapse, with devastating consequences for biodiversity and future generations.