Evaluation of product supports policies in aquaculture

The aim of this study was to investigate the product support policies applied in aquaculture in Turkey, based on the classified fish farms according to total production amount, and evaluation of present situation according to ideas about applications, structures and functions of support systems. It was formed 4 groups (A, 0-29.99 tons/year; B, 30-24.99 tons/year; C, 250-499.99 tons/year, and D, 500 tons/year and above) according to total production capacities of the fish farms. In the study, totally 100 (a hundred) fish farms and 25 (twenty five) fish farms in every group randomly chosen from Turkey were used. It was determined that the information about fisheries supports in all groups (A, B, C, and D Groups) are mostly obtained from authorities in Province / District Directorate of Food, Agriculture and Livestock (respectively, 28, 32, 28, and 44). Low capacity fish farms (A Group) reported that the support amount is insufficient; but, all groups mostly reported that it have to continue. It was defined that the supports was increasingly effective in capacity increase of fish farms (respectively, 56, 64, and 72 %) in parallel with increasing of product capacities (B, C, and D Groups); and increasingly contribute in mechanization and marketing and branding as insufficiently. It was observed that the support amounts increased naturally according to capacity increasing in the research groups. It was informed that the supports should be improved by taking the ideas of producers; and demanded that the support amounts and support amount given per kg were increased; feed support, equipment and staff supports should be given; and juvenile support should be given again.