In the second year of the “Do Good, Throw into the Sea” project, which was implemented by Dardanel and Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University (ÇOMÜ) to increase the local lobster population in order to protect sustainable marine life and diversity in the seas, 300 baby lobsters were introduced to the sea.
Within the scope of the project, work was carried out to increase the population of the native lobster species “Homarus gammarus”, known as the “European lobster” and found in Turkish waters. A successful model was taken as an example in England, where this lobster species was produced through aquaculture and released into its natural environment, thus sustainably supporting the lobster population in nature.
Prof. at the Marine Creatures Research and Application Center of the Faculty of Marine Sciences and Technology in ÇOMÜ Dardanos campus. Dr. The team led by Umur Önal raised hundreds of baby lobsters from the larval stage in private pools.
Dardanel Chairman of the Board of Directors Niyazi Önen and ÇOMÜ Rector Prof. Dr. Cüneyt Erenoğlu, national athlete Şahika Ercümen, academicians from ÇOMÜ Faculty of Marine Sciences and Technology and press members boarded the ship named “Dardanel Midye-1” from the pier next to Gelibolu Shipyard for the program organized to release baby lobsters to the sea.
Speaking at the program held at the Dardanel Mussel Farm in Gallipoli, Niyazi Önen said that they have realized the second of the “Do Good, Throw into the Sea” project, which they initiated in order to contribute to life and increase the local lobster population.
Önen stated that they brought 300 lobsters to the sea last year and that ÇOMÜ contributed to the realization of this project.
Explaining that there was a serious lobster population in Çanakkale in the past years, Önen said, “We could not eat it much, it was sold expensively, it is always a value-added product, but it was sent from Çanakkale to the restaurants in Istanbul. At the same time, it was also sold to visitors and tourists coming to Çanakkale in the restaurants in Çanakkale.” “The lobster population, like other creatures, suffered losses due to various reasons.” said.
Önen stated that mussels were disappearing due to overfishing and various reasons, and that the mussel farm business was started when harvesting and consuming mussels from natural beds was harmful to human health due to sea pollution.
“Many entrepreneurs are currently investing in mussel farms in Turkey. Our system is different. We are applying the first and only Batea technology in Turkey here. We have 20 rafts, and we will build 10 more rafts on this land, which will have a capacity of 3 thousand tons.” “We have a mussel farm that we rented on the opposite side, and there is a capacity of 10 rafts. In other words, we will have built a mussel farm with a capacity of 4 thousand tons. Our aim is to produce and sell these mussels not only as mussels, but also as more value-added in various forms, especially stuffed mussels, from our factories in Çanakkale. .”
Stating that they attach importance to sustainable fishing and the protection of marine life, and in this context they are members of organizations such as Friend Of The Sea and Dolphin Safe, Önen noted that they procure tuna fish through natural hunting methods, that they attach importance to the environment in their production processes, and that they apply high standards in material selection.
“A concrete step in protecting the marine ecosystem”
ÇOMÜ Rector Prof. Dr. Cüneyt Erenoğlu said that this event is a concrete step especially in protecting the marine ecosystem.
Prof. stated that the Dardanelles, one of the world’s important waterways, is also an important habitat for marine creatures. Dr. Erenoğlu stated that this ecosystem was negatively affected due to human activities.
Prof. Dr. Erenoğlu stated that thanks to this event, they created an important opportunity and an important awareness to protect the seas and leave a more livable world to future generations, and added that they, as the university, will contribute as much as they can to protect the ecosystem and the extinction of this precious creature.
“It is very important to protect all endangered creatures”
National athlete Şahika Ercümen stated that she was very happy to take part in such a project as an athlete and aquatic life advocate who was born and raised in Çanakkale.
Stating that the Dardanelles, where he grew up, is a rich corridor in terms of biodiversity and underwater richness, Ercümen said that this project is very important for the protection of the underwater ecosystem.
Stating that he sees the sea as his home and living space, Ercümen said, “The protection of all endangered creatures is very valuable, even vital, for the health of the sea and the ecosystem. That’s why today we will lower the lobsters to a depth of 20 meters. We have safety diving teams, and so do I.” “I will go down holding my breath and we will leave them with their brothers who were left behind last year. I will continue to participate in sustainability and marine protection efforts both locally and globally as long as I can breathe.” he said.
The lobsters, which reached the size they could be released into the sea, were later released by Ercümen and the divers to special reefs under Dardanel’s mussel farm.
The opinions expressed herein are the author’s and not necessarily those of News2Sea.
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