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04 Feb, 2025

As of 05.09.2024, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of the Republic of Turkey has published the “Regulation on Supporting Small-Scale Fisheries” (“Regulation No: 2024/27”; “Regulation”) in the Official Gazette numbered 32653. This regulation outlines the procedures and principles for providing support to fishermen involved in small-scale fisheries in seas and inland waters.

This support will be implemented in 2025 and 2026, aiming to encourage sustainable fishing practices. Additionally, it will contribute to the collection of fishing and socio-economic data. This Regulation is based on Article 19 of the Agriculture Law No. 5488 dated 18/4/2006 and Article 9 of the Decision on Livestock Support to be Made in 2024-2026, published in the Official Gazette No. 8760 on 25/7/2024.

Which fishing vessels are covered by the support and how does the application process work? The answer to this can be found in Articles 2 and 4 of the Regulation. The support covers all fishing vessels operating in inland waters and those with a length of less than 12 meters operating in seas. To be eligible for support, these vessels must be registered in the Fisheries Information System (SUBIS) and possess a valid fishing license. Multiple applications for the same vessel and/or license are not permitted. After the application is accepted, no changes to the vessel or license will create a new eligibility for support. Furthermore, those owning multiple fishing vessels must apply separately for each vessel.

Applications are made in person by the owner or authorized representative of the fishing vessel to the provincial or district directorates of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. During the application, the vessel’s license and other required documents must be submitted. These documents include the Small-Scale Fisheries Support Survey Form, which must be completed with accurate and up-to-date data. It is crucial that fishermen answer the questions related to their activities as outlined in the survey prepared by the Ministry. If relevant answers are not provided, the vessel owner will not be eligible for support.

As per Article 5 of this Regulation, additional support is provided to female fishermen. If a woman is the owner or partner of a fishing vessel at the time of publication of the Presidential Decision No. 8760 and applies for support, she will be entitled to an additional 35% more support, provided that ownership or partnership continues. However, this right does not apply in cases of ownership changes after the regulation is published.

In addition, there are questions regarding how fishermen with multiple vessels will benefit from the support. The answer to this question can be found in Article 6 of the Regulation. First of all, there are several documents/information that fishing vessel owners must submit during the application process:

  • Application letter,
  • If the fishing vessel is owned by more than one person, a letter of authorization or notarized authorization document for the person designated by all owners,
  • Small-Scale Fisheries Support Survey Form,
  • Copy of the Turkish Republic ID of the applicant.

Thus, fishermen with multiple vessels can apply separately for each vessel. However, multiple applications for the same vessel or license are not permitted. Once the application is accepted, changes to the license will not create a new eligibility for support.

Another important question is the evaluation procedure for applications and the process of finalizing them. After receiving the applications, the provincial/district directorates check the vessel’s license validity and length through the SUBIS records. Once the applications are deemed eligible, they are processed and registered in the SUBIS system. The results of the applications are announced on the bulletin boards of the provincial/district directorates, and the objection period begins. Applications without objections are finalized.

The provincial/district directorate checks whether the fishing vessel has a valid Fisheries License and the vessel’s ownership and length from the records and SUBIS system. If the controls are appropriate, the application is processed; otherwise, unsuitable applications are not accepted. The Survey Form attached to the application letter submitted by the fishing vessel owner or authorized representative is also reviewed by the provincial/district directorate. The form must be filled out correctly and completely as a requirement for the application. Subsequently, the eligible fishing vessel is recorded in the SUBIS system by the provincial/district directorate. A copy of this registration is attached to the application letter and filed.

The procedure for the support payments to fishermen is regulated in Article 11 of the Regulation. Support payments are covered by the allocated budget for livestock support in the Ministry’s budget for the relevant year, and after the necessary funds are transferred, payments are made via the bank by the Ministry. The amounts to be paid per vessel in 2025 will be determined according to the provisions of the Decision on Livestock Support for 2024-2026.

Furthermore, there is always the possibility of unjust payments being made. In cases where unjust payments are made, the procedure for recovering these payments is outlined in Article 9 of the Regulation. If fishing vessel owners submit false documents or mislead the authorities during the support application process, even if their applications are accepted, they will not be entitled to the support. Relevant authorities are responsible for entering data into the system correctly and checking the documents presented to them. Those who cause unjust payments by failing to fulfill these responsibilities, as well as those who submit false or misleading documents, will be subject to legal and administrative actions.

Those who unjustly benefit from the payments, apart from payments made due to administrative errors in the documents, will not be entitled to any support programs provided by the Ministry for a period of five years. Unjust payments must be repaid with legal interest calculated according to the delay rates stated in Article 51 of the Law No. 6183 on the Collection of Public Receivables, dated 21/7/1953.

The source of financing for the support is also mentioned in Article 11 of the Regulation. The financing required to support small-scale fisheries will be covered by the allocated funds for livestock support in the Ministry’s budget. This source is transferred from the relevant year’s budget and paid to the beneficiaries via Ziraat Bank.

Additionally, it should be noted that with the enactment of this Regulation, the “Regulation on Supporting Small-Scale Fisheries” (Regulation No: 2022/56), published in the Official Gazette No. 32072 on 13/1/2023, has been repealed.

As a result, the “Regulation on Supporting Small-Scale Fisheries” (2024/27) aims to encourage sustainable fishing activities and enhance the economic power of fishermen. Additional support for female fishermen contributes to gender equality in the sector. To benefit from the support, all fishermen must complete the necessary application procedures and submit the correct documents.

These provisions will be implemented by the Minister of Agriculture and Forestry.

  • As of 05.09.2024, the Regulation is available in the Official Gazette No. 32653 here, and the Small-Scale Fisheries Support Regulation (2024/27) can be accessed here.
  • If you require detailed information regarding this matter, please feel free to contact us through the following contact numbers at any time.
Esenyel Partners | Communiqué on Supporting Small Scale Fisheries (Communiqué No: 2024/27)
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