The Sea in the Middle of Lands

The first modern semi-intensive commercial farm was built by the Government in 1961. FAO fisheries statistics for 2015 indicate that of the Egyptian total production from all sources 1.2 million tonnes (78%) are from aquaculture. Furthermore, the fisheries trade statistics show a negative balance of trade as Egypt imported in 2015 almost 500 000 tonnes of seafood commodities at the cost of US $ 768.4 million while exporting only about 32 900 tonnes valued at US $ 31.7 million causing a drain on hard currencies as well as the prices of seafood commodities in the local markets increased substantially. With a population rapidly increasing reaching 104 million people in 2017, low employment, rising fish prices, increasing imports of seafood commodities and other serious developmental activities, the Government decided to embark on large-scale integrated fin fish and shrimp aquaculture projects which aim at becoming self-sufficient, minimize imports, job creation, reduce seafood prices in the local market and export high value species to earn hard currencies. Two such major projects were recently established: One at Birkat Ghalioun in the Egyptian Nile Delta region along the Mediterranean Sea and the other is along the East Suez Canal zone. The question remains, however, if these two mega projects, when fully implemented, along with other small-scale aquaculture projects across Egypt would actually achieve the developmental objectives these projects promise as well as reduce prices of fish to local consumers?

Because essential fatty acids have an important role in human health, there is a growing interest in fatty acids profile and nutritional quality of fish, originating from both marine and freshwater resources. This research was performed to determine the seasonal changes in nutritional quality, fatty acids composition and energy contents of Prussian carp inhabiting in Lake Çıldır, Turkey. Fatty acids profile demonstrated high monounsaturated fatty acids content that was changed from 44.82 in spring to 41.28% in autumn. Saturated fatty acids (SFA) content was changed from 30.35 in summer to 29.40% in autumn. Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) content was the highest in summer (25.02%) and the lowest in spring (21.52%). Major fatty acids were palmitic, oleic, linoleic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Lipid quality indexes were within the range of recommended levels for human health. According to the results biochemical composition of Prussian carp is similar in all seasons, in terms of fatty acids, the autumn season can be the most suitable season for consumption. Although being an underutilized fish species for its taste, smell, high string structure and unpleasant textural features, Prussian carp has a good quality by means of protein and essential fatty acids.

The most important fishing rule implemented in Turkish lagoon fishery is distance between the reeds (stick) of the barrier traps should not be less than 3 cm. Based on this arrangement, usually 3 cm bar spacing reeds and sometimes 3 cm square mesh wires are used in lagoon barrier traps. The body shape of fish may be the most important factor necessary to understand the consequences of changes in barrier trap selectivity. For this reason, data were collected to determine the relevant dimensions of fish body in relation to openness of a barrier trap of coastal lagoons along the Aegean coast of Turkey in 2013. As Minimum Landing Size (MLS) was built on Total Length (TL) basis, regression analyses were carried out to find out the relationships between the TL and the other measured dimensions (width and height) of the fish using least-square regression. Morphometric measurements of fish species caught in barrier traps show a great variation. While all Common sole individuals pass from the 3 distance with its width, all Flathead grey mullet and European sea bass individuals retained behind the sticks of the barrier trap. All Gilthead sea bream individuals under 25 cm TL pass the distance. However, many Golden grey mullet and European eel individuals retain at the barrier traps with theirs width. The implemented 3 cm bar spacing in Turkish lagoon barrier traps is thought to be suitable only for sea bass with a 1% reduction. However, the bar spacing is not suitable for Sea bream, Common sole, European eel due to commercial loss and for Flat head grey mullet and Golden grey mullet capturing small individuals below their MLS. For this reason, a graded barrier system with different bar spaces or regulation according to the biology of the fish species and migration seasons can benefit sustainable lagoon fishery. In this respect, the continuously changing distance paradox in barrier traps will be overtaken in Turkey.

In this study the sensory criteria and chemical analysis of catfish marinades in tomato sauce and oil was investigated. After the marination process catfish fillets were packed in airproof plastic containers; one being plain (Group A: sun flower oil) and the other being sauced (Group B: sunflower oil and tomato sauce). Then, they were stored in +4 °C for 200 days. During storage, sensory and chemical analyses were carried out. As a result of 200 days of storage, TVB-N analysis results 15.82/16.29 mg/100g, TBA 4.94/4.81 mg MA/kg, the number of peroxide value 3.57/3.40 meq/kg, pH were 4.35/4.36 in sample marinates packaged as plain and sauced respectively. At the end of storage it was determined that African catfish marinates packaged as plain (Group A) and sauced (Group B) can be stored in +4 °C for 200 days and maintained the chemical quality criteria. The shelf life of marinated catfish was found to be 110 days for Group A, 80 days for Group B according to the results of sensory assessments.

Harpacticoid fauna inhabiting in the mediolittoral zone of the islands of Bodrum (Turkey) called Kara, Çatal and Tavşan was investigated. For this purpose, a total of 23 stations were sampled. As a result, 22 species belonging to 11 families distributed within 20 genera were identified. These species are: Pseudobradya robusta, Pseudobradya pelobates, Leptocaris biscayensis, Harpacticus sp., Parastenhelia spinosa, Sarsamphiascus angustipes, Ameira tenuicornis, Psyllocamptus eridani, Pseudameira breviseta, Leptomesochra infima, Pseudoleptomesochrella marina, Paramesochra helgalondica, Phyllopodopsyllus thiebaudi, Phyllopodopsyllus briani, Orthopsyllus sarsi, Laophonte cornuta, Paralaophonte brevirostris, Echinolaophonte armiger, Klieonychocamptus kliei, Klieonychocamptus kliei adriaticus, Afrolaophonte pori, Lipomelum adriaticum and Neoleptastacus acanthus. Also, Pseudobradya robusta, Pseudobradya pelobates, Pseudameira breviseta, Leptomesochra infima, Pseudoleptomesochrella marina, Echinolaophonte armiger are reported for the first time from Turkish coasts.

The present study was performed to investigate the influence of fish oil (FO) and cod liver oil (CLO) as the dietary lipid sources on the growth performance, feed utilization and fatty acid (FA) composition of Oreochromis niloticus. two isonitrogenous (38% crude protein), isocaloric (18.9 MJ GE/kg) diets containing 6% of added fat from the lipid sources were formulated and used. Each diet was fed to triplicate groups of 17 fish of 18.18 ± 0.02 g mean initial body weight fed with %3 body weight two times a daily. The tilapia was raised at 28±1 °C in 6 square experimental cages (1×1×1.25 m) during the 60 days. Results showed that the source of added lipid significantly influence (P<0.05) final body weight, live body weight and daily growth rate but did not affect specific growth rate, feed conversion ratio and survival, rate of tilapia. There was no significant difference in the fillet proximate composition of fish fed the FO or CLO diets, except for fish fed the CLO diet showed lower lipid deposition (P<0.05). The deposition of fatty acids in fish tissues was generally influenced by the fatty acid profile of the diets. Fillet fatty acid profiles of tilapia fed CLO-based diet had significantly higher concentrations of saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids, but lower levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) compared to the fish fed the FO diet. Fillet of fish fed the FO diet had significantly higher concentrations of DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) compared with fish fed CLO-based diets (P<0.05). EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) did not showed significantly different both diet (P>0.05). In fish fed FO diet group, both n−3 and n−6 PUFA were the highest when compared with fish fed with CLO diet. The lipid source not influenced (P<0.05) hepatosomatic index (HSI) and viscerosomatic index (VSI). However, fish fed CLO contained diet showed significantly higher liver fat (20.20±0.22) than fish fed FO diet group (13.88±0.22) (P<0.001).

In this review current situation and the development of the seafood processing sector in some selected Mediterranean countries will be given. To give an idea of the scale of the trade, better to mention the amount of fish consumption rates of the countries. European Mediterranean countries consume almost 7.5 million tonnes of seafood each year, these countries just produce 2.75 million tonnes of domestic fish and seafood products annually and import 1.8 million tonnes of fish and seafood products from the other Mediterranean countries just in the region every year. There is a serious difference between in seafood consumption between EU member countries and African countries which are locating in Mediterranean. The reasons behind these differences in consumption are diverse, and are related not only to cultural and gastronomic habits, demography and standards of living, but also to general logistics issues, such as deficiencies in road communications and lack of wholesale food markets and processing plants. A balance of this trade should be stabilized and the solution can be transferring the processing technologies by using the EU founds and supports for these non-member Mediterranean countries.

In the last four decades the Black Sea has suffered important changes induced by human activities. Some 162 million people live in the catchment area of the Black Sea and they make extraordinary demands on its resources. Waste from towns and cities, farms and factories pours into the Black Sea; some comes directly from the coast, but most flows relentlessly from the region's major rivers, River Danube, Dnieper and Dniester. Hence, coming trends will depend largely on human-related menaces. Depending on place and time ecologists have been principally interested in eutrophication, heavy metals, synthetic chemicals, radionuclides sedimentation, acid-rain and hot water. Airborne pollution also contaminates the sea; while the consequences of a changing climate brought about by greenhouse gases building up in the atmosphere seem certain to add to the stress already suffered by the Black Sea environment. A special threat comes from the many big ships or petrol tankers. Coupled with the unremitting pressure from the effects of the fıshing industry, and the tourist developments that are destroying the natural life that attracts thousands people to the region every year, it is not surprising that the Black Sea is one of the world's most threatened marine ecosystems. This review is to make a general assessment of the pollution of the Black Sea coast of Turkey.

The biochemical composition in wild long-snouted female and male individuals of Hippocampus guttulatus was investigated in Southeastern Black Sea. PUFA were the most important fatty acids in males (40%) and in females (41%). The main components of PUFA were DHA (20-22%) and EPA (9-11%). DHA was the most abundant fatty acids in H. guttulatus. Cholesterol was the most important sterol in the males and females (205.36 µg/g; 200.36 µg/g, respectively). α- tocopherols (vitamin E) was the most important lipophilic vitamins and α-tocopherol acetate was the highest amount (6.67 µg/g; 7.88 µg/g, respectively) in the females and males. Total protein was 13.87 mg/g in the male and 14.38 mg/g in the females. GSH (Glutathione) and GSSG (Oxidised Glutathione) levels were lower than MDA (Malondialdehyde). GSH was 99.66 µg/g in the male and 98.18 µg/g in the female. GSSG was 40.25 µg/g in the males and 40.18 µg/g in the females. It was thought that high MDA level (251.07-256.30 µg/g) occurred, because low vitamin E level did not prevent PUFA peroxidation. Our findings showed that biochemical composition of seahorses did not differ between male and female individuals except for fatty acids (p<0.01).