Bio-diversity

The Lake Van is a interesting ecosystem in the world that its water contain saline-soda and has original biodiversity. Lake has highly alkaline and salty water. As a result of this, lake which has 9.8 pH, is known as alkaline lake and not suitable for either freshwater fish or marine fish. There is only one type of fish lives in the lake known as Van fish or pearl mullet, (Chalcalburnus tarichi), which is a member of cyprinidae family, its mean fork length 19.5 cm and mean weight 80 g approximately. Pearl mullet is an immigrant type fish that normally lives in lake water, but at the reproduction period (April-June) immigrates to the surrounding freshwater rivers. After the reproduction period they return to the lake. Pearl mullet fishing is done most part of catching during the spawning migration in April-June. This type of fishing is caused to overfishing, that s why some studies were done related with reduction of this type fishing ratio into total fishing. Nowadays, reproduction fishing ratio is decreased the smallest level for last ten years into total fishing, although it is continue. The most important reasons for fishermen of the reproduction period are insufficient income resources and traditional consumption habits that fish consume salty and with eggs. For these reason, some alternative income resources for diversify of income resources and changing of consume habits were evolved during last project studies. For cutting of reproduction period fishing, alternative income resources were determined as winter fishing, small plant for salted fish, small plant for canned fish and tourism. If some requests of the fishermen are meet, winter fishing techniques will be more attractive. Fishermen are request as exceed to marketing problems and building fish landing place. The small plant of salted fish is get to processed fish for high marketing value, prevent to consume habits of the traditional salted fish in which not suitable hygiene conditions. In addition, it is help to producing of high quality salted fish in suitable hygiene conditions except reproduction period and submitting to market as packet salt-fish. So, value of fish will be increased and generated to new income source. Also, products of canned fish as well as small plant of salted fish will be increased value of fish and diversified income sources. Tourism as alternative income source is a new event for local people. Tourists will give to new economical liveliness, and local people will be understood with tourist movement that fish an important biodiversity for this region. The changing of consume habits of salted and with eggs fish is be seen an important traditional event for prevent of the reproduction period fishing. Thus, changing of consume habits of salted and with eggs fish is be thought to decrease of reproduction period fishing.

Turkey