A CONTEMPORARY ANALYSIS ON FISH FARMS AND THE SAFETY OF NAVIGATION

Abstract

Areas where fish farms are located and are not usually far from the shore pose a risk to maritime safety. In this regard, the issue has two important aspects: first, navigational hazards on the approach to and proximity to fish farms, such as rocky, shallow, narrow passages, areas with intensive local traffic that are challenging the safety of navigation; the second is the need for a pilot and tugboat (s) for docking or undocking manoeuvres to fish farms with a berth. The offshore aquaculture has made a great leap forward since 2007, but with this development, important issues such as ecosystem conservation, sustainability of seafood, preventing marine transportation related accidents and due measures which should be put into effect gained importance as well. The cultured fish which harvested from cages usually being transported to the processing facilities and customs control locations by vessels. The maritime accidents that may occur during this transportation period have the capacity to harm both the farms and the the ecosystem significantly. As a method for this article, the safety needs of the vessels serving to the fish farms in the cargo transfers are determined, and after this determination, conclusions on how this need can be resolved by use of pilotage and towage services are put forward.