In order to collect data on the migration route of the Atlantic Blue Tunets – the type of genus of the mackerel family, on the coast of the Antalya Bay in the Alanya region, electronic devices connected to the satellite were attached to several fish.
The study was initiated as the “General Atlantic Studies of the Blue Tunets” of the International Organization for the Preservation of the Atlantic Ocean (ICKTA).
The initiative was connected by researchers of the Mediterranean Research and Research Institute of Fisheries, the Main Directorate of Agricultural Research and Politics, the Main Directorate of Fisheries and Aquaculture under the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of Turkey, as well as Universities of Chukurov and Stanford.
Researchers installed satellite sensors with 32 fish. The crew of the Anadolu agency captured the moments of installation of satellite devices, as well as the release of fish in the sea.
– The fish will swim with the device for one year
In an interview with Anadol, the director of the Mediterranean Research Institute of Production and Educational Institute of Fisheries, Serkan Ercan said that the International Organization for the preservation of the Atlantic Ocean tuna annually introduces a certain quota for the countries of the tuna. According to him, Turkey this year was provided with a quota of 2500 tons.
Ercan noted that the catch of tuna is an important resource for Turkey, and in order to increase the quota, a satellite monitoring project was initiated to obtain more detailed information about fish.
“32 Pisces were raised to the deck of the ship using the crane off the coast of Alanya and chipped in accordance with international ethical rules. We will get detailed data on whether the fish sailed into the Atlantic, as well as the place of spawning of the tuna in the Mediterranean and nutrition. The devices will be fixed on the fish for one year, and in this connection, the data collection will also be carried out during the year. We will have an idea of many insoluble, unknown and not confirming issues, ”said Ercan.
He noted that thanks to the sensors, researchers will monitor the behavior and routes of fish migration and a year later more clear information will appear.
According to the director, the data obtained may help increase Turkey’s quota on tuna.
There is an opinion that blue tuna is a species that comes from the Atlantic, but with the help of the data obtained, we may prove that this type of fish is growing and multiplying in our region, ”said Ercan.