Feed Planet Magazine Issue-Sayı: 21 November/December - Kasım/Aralık 2019

INTERVIEW • RÖPORTAJ 48 FEED PLANET / NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2019 • KASIM-ARALIK 2019 AQUACULTURE PRODUCTION AREAS SHOULD BE INCREASED One of the topics of our November-December issue, which will include this interview as well, is the relation- ship between animal breeding and the environment. What would you say about that? On your website, you state that you are determined to do your part on this subject. What are the contributions of feed additives companies in this regard? When it comes to effects on the environment, the first thing that comes to the mind is carbon emissions. At this point, feed additives companies also have responsibility. There is a lot of research on reducing methane gas emis- sions by using feed additives, for example by regulating intestinal health. Biomin is one of the leading companies also in reducing carbon emissions or reducing methane gas production in animals. I have two ideas at this juncture. The first one is my offi- cial opinion. The significance of carbon emissions caused by animals has not yet been comprehended in Turkey. However, here is what I think unofficially and personally: If one of the major factors of global warming is methane gas, and it needs to be reduced, it is also necessary to see the ranking of animal husbandry in this regard. Live- stock is responsible for only about 5 percent of methane production. One should consider that 95 percent of this arises from the activities in developed countries, the melt- ing of glaciers in Siberia, etc. But if this is still a resource, of course, everything necessary should be done. The second point is about aquaculture. There was a side that used to affect people's comfort before. Fish production facilities located near the coastline, close to the holiday resorts, used to disturb the domestic and foreign tourists. Legal regulations were made. Conse- quently, fish farms were taken away -I guess- for about 3 km. However, there is a problem. Our fish production is squashed into a narrow area in the Aegean Sea between Izmir and Milas. In fact, 90 percent of the total production is squashed into the Gulf of Güllük. Perhaps we need to increase and diversify production areas. TRADITIONAL METHODS IN FISH NUTRITION ARE BEING ABANDONED One should not miss this point in the interaction with the environment. One of the biggest problems in aquaculture is feeding. Fish, especially carnivorous fish, are feed mainly with fishmeal. Traditionally our strategy in traditional aquaculture was turning cheap fish into expensive fish. That is to feed ex- pensive fish with cheap fish and make a profit out of here. For example, catching anchovy and turning it into fishmeal and feeding bass or bream, that is, a more expensive and more luxurious fish, with this fishmeal. However, this strategy has zın konularından biri hayvan yetiştiriciliği ile çevre ara- sındaki ilişki. Siz bu konuda ne söylemek istersiniz? Sitenizde bu konuda üzerinize düşeni yapmak konu- sunda azimli ve kararlı olduğunuzu belirtiyorsunuz. Bu konuda yem katkı firmalarına düşen nelerdir? Çevreye etkiler deyince ilk aklımıza gelen karbon emis- yonu üzerindeki etkiler. Bu noktada yem katkı firmalarına da sorumluluk düşüyor. Yem katkılarıyla örneğin bağırsak sağlığını düzenleyerek metan gazı salınımını azaltılması konusunda çalışmalar var. Biomin karbon emisyonunun azaltılması ya da hayvanlardaki metan gazı üretiminin azaltılması konusunda da lider firmalardan bir tanesi. Benim bu noktada iki fikrim var. Birincisi, resmi fik- rim. Türkiye’de hayvanların sebep olduğu karbon gazı emisyonunun önemi henüz kavranabilmiş değil. Ama diğer taraftan da gayrı resmi ve kişisel olarak da şunu düşünüyorum. Eğer küresel ısınmanın en büyük faktör- lerinden bir tanesi metan gazıysa ve bunun azaltılma-