In order to safeguard the livelihoods of fishermen and aquaculture enterprises affected by the Feb. 6 earthquakes, financial support regulations, for fishing vessel owners, and production facilities in provinces declared as disaster-hit, were regulated with a new decision published in the Official Gazette on Wednesday.
Under the new regulations, fishing vessel owners, who fish at sea and inland waters in provinces declared disaster-hit due to the earthquakes, will be supported to compensate for the loss of income from normal fishing activities they could not engage in following the disaster.
Likewise, a one-time support payment for all fishing vessels registered in Adana and Hatay provinces prior to Feb. 6, 2023, and in possession of a valid fisheries license will be provided for the Feb. 6 – Dec. 31 time period, according to the decree.
Depending on the size of the vessels, financial support starting from TL 5,000 (around $256) for fishermen with 0-4.99 meter boat sizes in Adana, and TL 10,000 in Hatay will be provided.
Fishermen with 5-9.99 meter vessels in Adana will similarly be granted TL 7,500 while those in Hatay will be eligible for TL15,000 support. When it comes to larger vessels, between 10-11.99 meters in the same provinces would be provided with aid of TL 10,000 and TL 20,000, respectively. Owners of vessels spanning between 12-14.99 meters are to be provided with TL 15,000 and TL 30,000, it was stated.
Vessels bigger than 30 meters, however, will be compensated with TL 30,000 in Adana and TL 60,000 in Hatay.
The support for vessels with valid licenses operating in other provinces declared as disaster-hit areas including Adana, Adıyaman, Elazığ, Kahramanmaraş, Malatya, Osmaniye and Şanlıurfa will be eligible for compensation as well. Support per boat will depend on size ranges: Between TL 3,500 for 0-4.99 meter boats, and TL 6,000 for ones sized 10-11.99 meters.
As per another decision, procedures and principles relating to the support of fisheries aquaculture enterprises, whose production facilities were damaged in provinces declared disaster areas in the pair of powerful Feb. 6 earthquakes, were also regulated.
Based on the regulation, one-time support will be handed to aquaculture enterprises that were registered in the Aquaculture Information System and had obtained the required aquaculture certificate on or before Feb. 6, 2023, and were determined as damaged within the scope of damage assessment carried out by provincial-district agricultural directorates in the provinces.
The aforementioned decisions are stated to have taken effect from Feb. 6, 2023.