The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Iskenderun Bay fishery, Northeastern Mediterranean, Turkey

Abstract

Fishing vessels were struggling to be economically sustainable during the COVID-19 pandemic, as the changes and challenges posed by the pandemic will adversely affect the economic performance of fishing vessels. This study is undertaken to analyze all changes in the fish landing, fishing effort, fish prices, and fishing costs together with sectoral dynamics for trawl and purse seine vessels. Fishing effort data was collected from the Global Fishing Watch website, and the amount of landing catches prices, and fishing costs data were collected from the field. According to the results, the decrease in demand for fresh fish during the COVID-19 pandemic and the difficulty in supplying this fresh product further increased the economic difficulties of fishing vessel owners in 2020. This short-term economic hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic has prevented many fishing boats from continuing their fishing activities, leading them to cease operations and even sell their boat and fishing licenses to major fish traders. In the meantime, the negative situation in favor of fishing traders rather than fishing vessel owners has emerged even more strikingly. If this economic imbalance in fisheries is not properly managed, the ecosystem, especially fish stocks, and some stakeholders of fisheries, will continue to be negatively affected.