Tracing Fish Mortality and Escape Events in Türkiye's Aquaculture (2010–2024): A Newspaper-Based Review of Trends and Drivers

Abstract

Fish escapes and mortality events from aquaculture facilities pose significant ecological and economic threats by undermining biodiversity and destabilizing market returns. In Türkiye, the rapid expansion of aquaculture has been accompanied by a rise in such incidents, raising concerns regarding species integrity and industry sustainability. To elucidate the spatiotemporal patterns and causal factors of aquaculture incidents in Türkiye, this study systematically analyzed 44 documented events reported between 2010 and 2024. The dataset, compiled from publicly available media sources, comprised 26 mortality events and 18 fish escapes, each classified by species, geographical region, aquaculture system, and reported cause. All incidents involved rainbow trout, European seabass, or gilthead bream—the three most widely farmed finfish species in Türkiye. The findings revealed that freshwater incidents predominantly affected rainbow trout, whereas marine incidents primarily involved European seabass and gilthead bream, with additional cases concerning rainbow trout. Extreme weather events (e.g., storms and flash floods) accounted for 56.5% of escape incidents, while structural failures and maritime collisions each contributed 17.4%. Temporal trends indicated a twofold increase in incident frequency from 2010–2015 to 2020–2024, reflecting both sectoral growth and heightened climate variability. Offshore operations in the Aegean and Mediterranean regions were particularly vulnerable to storm-related breaches, while inland facilities in the Eastern Black Sea and Anatolian regions faced elevated flood risks. These findings emphasize the importance of investing in climate-resilient infrastructure, real-time monitoring, and species-specific containment strategies to mitigate escape risks and support the continued sustainable development of aquaculture in Türkiye.