Fisheries in Lake Manyas (Balıkesir): Culture, Ecology and Sustainability

44962

This study deals with fisheries in Lake Manyas, an important freshwater fish production area. Lake Manyas is a shallow lake with suitable ecological conditions for freshwater fish to survive. The local people living around the lake consume the fish they catch from the lake themselves and sell them commercially. Recent studies have identified 34 different types of fish in Lake Manyas. Some of them have an important place in the local culture and economy. However, the pollution of the lake, humaninduced changes in the ecological structure and the invasion of exotic species have significantly affected the sustainable use of the lake in the last 40-50 years and have significantly changed the fish life and species. In this context, this study aims to reveal the basic characteristics of freshwater fisheries in Lake Manyas and to investigate the changes in lake fisheries over time and the cultural, political and economic reasons for the change. The quantitative data consisting of freshwater fishing figures and the qualitative data collected from the fieldwork to understand the fishery culture were analyzed using a mixed research design. The results of the study indicates that fishing is very important for the local people economically and culturally; that fisheries are affected by some ecological and environmental problems; therefore, there are significant changes in the caught species over time. A number of measures need to be taken to preserve both the ecological character of the lake ecosystem and the cultural and economic importance of freshwater fisheries in the lake.

179

Lake Manyas , fisheries , cultural and political ecology , sustainable fisheries

Aegean Geographical Journal

198

Aegean Geographical Journal