Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloğlu announced that they will make new arrangements in the Seafarers and Pilots Training and Exam Directive this month. Minister Uraloğlu said, “Our seafarers with all qualifications in the cabotage voyage region will be able to renew their sea safety certificates with their services on commercial ships without taking a course or taking an exam. For example, seafarers working on agency boats, commercial yachts and cargo ships on cabotage and port voyages will be able to work on fishing vessels without having to change their qualifications.”
Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloğlu had sahur with fishermen in Istanbul. Minister Uraloğlu made a statement here and said, “You, who earn your living by enduring the relentless struggle of wind and waves in the salty waters of the seas, are not only practicing a profession, but also keeping a lifestyle, a culture alive.”
Stating that fishing is not only a source of income but also a passion and love, Uraloğlu said, “Most of the time, you risk being away from your loved ones, your home, and your comfort. You take refuge in the mercy of the seas, sometimes struggling with storms and sometimes with difficult weather conditions. For this reason, I would like to thank you, my valuable brothers and sisters who practice this difficult profession, on behalf of our dear nation. I also wish a fruitful and successful season from Allah Almighty to all our fishing brothers and sisters. I hope that your nets are always full.”
“The number of ships and watercraft carrying out fishing activities of 150 gross tonnes and above increased by 59 percent”
Uraloğlu, who drew attention to the fact that Türkiye is surrounded by seas on three sides, has natural lakes, and dams and ponds whose numbers are increasing day by day, creating significant potential for the fishing and aquaculture sector, continued his words as follows:
“Efficient use of this potential is only possible with modern fishing vessels, shelters where these vessels are safely moored, and the training of qualified personnel working there. Today, there are 46 commercial vessels and watercraft registered in our country’s ship registries. Of these, 358, or 21 percent, are engaged in fishing activities. While the number of vessels and watercraft carrying out fishing activities of 917 gross tonnes and above was 47 in 150, this number increased by 2017 percent, reaching 279 in 2024. These vessels have the capacity to operate in international waters.”
“We Have a Strong Fishing Vessel Personnel Infrastructure”
Uraloğlu, who stated that there are 361 deep sea fishing vessel captains, 910 fishing vessel captains and 12 fishing vessel deck crew in Türkiye, said, “We have a strong fishing vessel personnel infrastructure. With the amendment we made to the legislation, we removed the obligation to renew the expertise certificates of the crew and captains who will work on fishing vessels every 382 years and exempted them from ship security expertise certificates. We issued fishing class deck crew competence and indefinite sea safety certificates to all deck class seafarers, with the right to return to their competences upon request.”
New Regulation in the Training and Examination Directive for Seafarers and Pilots
Uraloğlu also stated that they have made it easier to obtain health reports by allowing health reports to be obtained from health institutions authorized to issue Driver Compliance Reports. Uraloğlu also underlined that they have ensured that the documents in question are valid for five years, not two years as is the case with other seafarers.
Uraloğlu, who stated that they provided significant conveniences for fishermen with the regulations in question, stated that they will also make some new regulations in the Seafarers and Pilots Training and Exam Directive this month. Reminding that sea service is required for the renewal of International Maritime Safety Certificates every five years, Uraloğlu said, “However, until now, the sea service required for the renewal of certificates had to be performed on vessels with a Safety Management System. However, most vessels performing cabotage voyages do not have this system. This left all fishing vessels, cargo ships and commercial yachts serving in the cabotage voyage area outside the scope of certificate renewal.”
Although fishermen class qualifications have been determined for seafarers working on fishing vessels and the certificate renewal obligation for these qualifications has been abolished, Uraloğlu reminded that existing seamen, able seamen, deck boatswains and limited watch officers cannot benefit from this right without converting their qualifications to fishermen class qualifications, and continued his words as follows:
“With the regulation we will make, our seafarers with all qualifications will be able to renew their sea safety certificates without taking a course or taking an exam, provided that they are limited to the cabotage voyage area, with their services on commercial ships. They will be able to continue working on fishing vessels without having to change their current qualifications. For example, seafarers working on agency boats, commercial yachts and cargo ships on cabotage and port voyages will be able to work on fishing vessels without having to change their qualifications. We foresee that the seafarer resources to be employed on fishing vessels will also increase in this way.”
Hunting Areas Increased in Marmara
Uraloğlu also stated that, with the study conducted by the General Directorate of Maritime Affairs, the ships waiting in the Marmara Sea were directed to the Ambarlı 2, 3 and 4 anchorage areas, and if necessary, to the Yalova 1 and 2 anchorage areas, and that they were instructed not to direct the ships to drift in the Marmara Sea while there was suitable space in these areas. He said, “Thus, we have increased the areas where fishing vessels can hunt in the Marmara Sea this year.”
1 Million 756 Thousand Tons of Fuel Support for Fishing Vessels
Minister Uraloğlu stated that they have given 1 million 2004 thousand tons, which is approximately one fourth of the 7 million 82 thousand 905 tons of fuel support given to all ships since January 4, 1, when SCT-free fuel transactions started, to fishing vessels, and said, “Again, of the 1 billion 756 million lira support given to all ships since the date SCT-free fuel transactions started, 15 billion 453 million lira was given to fishing vessels.”
Number of Fishing Shelters Increases to 400
Uraloğlu, who said that until 23 years ago, sailors complained that fishing was dying, said, “If you do not provide fuel support, do not repair the fishing shelters, do not build new ones, do not spread the sea culture, fishing will also die and fishermen will not be able to go to sea. We said, these shores are the shores of the fishermen, this sea is the sea of the fishermen. In 2002, there were 302 fishing shelters, we repaired all of them and brought them up to date. We conducted seabed scanning. In addition, we built new fishing shelters all around our country.”
Uraloğlu also underlined that they increased the number of fishing shelters where fishing vessels can take shelter and moor their vessels safely both during the fishing season and at other times to 400, and included the following statements in his statement:
“In addition, we are currently continuing the construction and repair of 9 fishing shelters, including Tarlaağzı Fishing Shelter, Çakıl Fishing Shelter, Çayeli Fishing Shelter, Faroz Fishing Shelter and Giresun Fishing Shelter. This year, we plan to hold tenders for the repair of Sürmene Yeniay Shelter and Alanya Fishing Shelter West Pier Constructions, as well as Dörtyol, Işıklı Konacık, Samandağ Çevlik and Abana fishing shelters and start their construction.”
Uraloğlu, who stated that they increased the number of shipyards from 2003 to 37 with the rational policies pursued since 85, said, “Our country is in an important position globally with its technological infrastructure and experience in the construction and maintenance of fishing vessels. Today, I would like to say that in addition to the ships it builds according to its own needs, we have also made serious progress in the export of these ships.”
“Last Year, Maintenance and Repair Operations Were Implemented on 2 Fishing Vessels”
Emphasizing that Türkiye exports fishing and live fish transport vessels to countries such as Norway, Iceland, Ireland and England, which are at the forefront of world fishing, Uraloğlu said, “In the last 4 years; the construction of 12 fishing vessels with a full length of 186 meters and above has been completed and the construction of 43 is ongoing. In addition, maintenance and repair operations were carried out on 2 fishing vessels in our country’s facilities last year. Thanks to the experience, capacity and technology our country’s shipyards have built the world’s first hybrid fishing vessel and the world’s largest live fish transport vessel with a length of 352 meters.”
Uraloğlu also said that a fish processing factory ship with a total length of 108 meters, fishing auxiliary ships over 90 meters and fishing vessels over 80 meters are being built in Türkiye today, and continued his words as follows:
“These ships are built to be able to conduct fishing operations in polar regions, including the North Atlantic, and to adapt to harsh weather conditions. In addition, the construction of a 78-meter-long open sea fish farm barge in our country’s shipyards, which is in line with innovative design criteria and can operate in the open seas, is also ongoing to be added to our export items.”
Uraloğlu also stated that they have made arrangements for the land surveys of fishing vessels under 15 meters in fishing shelters in order to make fishing activities more effective and environmentally friendly in Türkiye, and said, “With the arrangement made in 2021, we have also ensured that the part of the ramps that allow the service boats used by fishing vessels to meet the water during fishing are not included in the full length up to 1,5 meters in order to increase the competitiveness of our fishermen on a global basis. In short, as long as you want to open up to the world, we are with you until the end. We do whatever is necessary to pave your way and make your work easier, and we will continue to do so.”
