As of September 5, 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“) under Official Gazette No. 32653. The regulation outlines the procedures and principles for supporting small-scale fisheries engaged in activities in seas and inland waters.
This support will be applied in 2025 and 2026, aiming to encourage fishermen to practice sustainable fishing. It will also contribute to the collection of data on fishing activities and socio-economic factors. The regulation is based on Article 19 of the Agricultural Law No. 5488, dated April 18, 2006, and Article 9 of the Presidential Decision No. 8760, dated July 25, 2024, regarding livestock support in 2024-2026.
The regulation answers the question of which fishing vessels are eligible for support and the application process in Articles 2 and 4. The support applies to all fishing vessels operating in inland waters and to fishing vessels in the seas that are less than 12 meters in length. To be eligible for support, these vessels must be registered in the Fisheries Information System (SUBIS) and hold a valid fishing license. A single fishing vessel or license certificate cannot apply for support more than once. After the application is accepted, no changes made to the fishing vessel or license certificate will create a new application right. Additionally, 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 at the provincial or district directorates of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. During the application process, the vessel’s license certificate and other required documents must be submitted. Among these documents is the Small-Scale Fisheries Support Survey Form, which must be filled out with accurate and current data. The fishermen must answer the relevant questions in the form regarding their activity area. If the required answers are not provided, the vessel owner will not benefit from the support.
As stated in Article 5 of this regulation, additional support is provided to female fishermen. Women who are the owners or partners of a fishing vessel at the time of the publication of Presidential Decision No. 8760, and who apply for the support while their ownership or partnership continues, can receive an additional 35% more support. However, this right does not apply to ownership changes made after the regulation is published.
In addition, the issue of how fishermen with multiple vessels can benefit from the support is addressed in Article 6 of the regulation. There are certain documents/information that must be provided during the application. These include:
- Application letter
- If the fishing vessel is owned by more than one person, a letter of consent or notarized authorization from all owners
- Small-Scale Fisheries Support Survey Form
- Photocopy of the applicant’s Turkish Republic Identity Card
Fishermen who own multiple vessels can apply separately for each vessel. However, multiple applications for the same vessel or license are not allowed. Once the application is accepted, any changes to the license do not provide a new right to apply.
The procedure for evaluating and finalizing applications is another question of interest. Provincial/district directorates check the vessel’s license validity and length via SUBIS records after receiving the applications from the fishing vessel owners. Once the applications are deemed appropriate, they are processed and then registered in the SUBIS system. The results of the applications are posted on the bulletin boards of the provincial/district directorates, and the objection period begins. Applications without objections are finalized.
The directorates check the validity of the fishing vessel’s license during the application process. They also verify the identity of the vessel’s owner and the length of the vessel through the SUBIS system. If the checks are satisfactory, the application is processed; otherwise, unsuitable applications are rejected. The submitted Survey Form is also reviewed by the directorate, and it is required to be filled out completely and correctly. Afterward, the approved fishing vessels are registered in the SUBIS system and the relevant documents are archived.
The procedure for the support payments is outlined in Article 11 of the regulation. The support payments are made from the allocated budget for livestock support and are paid via banks after the necessary funds are transferred to the Ministry. For the year 2025, the support amounts per vessel will be determined based on the provisions of the Decision regarding Livestock Support in 2024-2026.
In addition, the possibility of unjust payments is always a concern. If unjust payments are made, the procedure for recovering such payments is described in Article 9 of the regulation. If fishing vessel owners submit fraudulent documents or mislead the authorities during the application process, they will not benefit from the support even if their applications are accepted. Authorities are responsible for entering the correct data in the system, checking the documents presented, and preparing the necessary documents. If they fail to meet these obligations and cause unjust payments, administrative procedures and legal actions will be taken against those who provide fraudulent or incorrect documents.
Those found to have unjustly benefited from the support will be excluded from all future support programs by the Ministry for a period of five years, excluding any payments made due to administrative errors. Unjust payments must be repaid with legal interest calculated according to the Law No. 6183 on the Collection of Public Claims.
The source of the financing for this support is mentioned in Article 11 of the regulation. The financing for supporting small-scale fisheries comes from the budget allocated for livestock support in the Ministry’s budget. These funds are transferred from the relevant year’s budget and paid to the beneficiaries via Ziraat Bank.
Furthermore, with the enactment of this regulation, the Regulation on Supporting Small-Scale Fisheries (Regulation No: 2022/56), published in Official Gazette No. 32072 on January 13, 2023, has been repealed.
In conclusion, the Regulation on Supporting Small-Scale Fisheries (2024/27) is a regulation aimed at encouraging sustainable fishing activities and increasing the economic power of fishermen. The additional support provided to female fishermen also 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.
The implementation of the provisions of this regulation will be carried out by the Minister of Agriculture and Forestry.
- As of September 5, 2024, you can access the Official Gazette No. 32653 here, and the Small-Scale Fisheries Support Regulation (2024/27) here.
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