Regional Industrial Specialization in Fishing and Aquaculture (2007-2022)

The fishing and aquaculture industry is one of the most ancient economic activities. Its origins even predate the Neolithic revolution. It can operate in a wide range of areas from the seashore to inland waters such as rivers, lakes, ponds, and dams. The aim of this study is to analyze the development of regional industrial specialization in the fishing and aquaculture industry over the last two decades. In the application part of the study, the location quotient was used as the statistical technique. The data were compiled from the SGK statistical yearbooks at NUTS 3 (provinces) level for the years 2007, 2012, 2017 and 2022. Regional industrial specialization clusters were identified according to the location quotient limit values. The number of provinces in regional industrial specialization clusters, the number of workers employed, and their weights are reported. To visually identify the change in regional industrial agglomeration for four five-year periods, a mapping study based on provinces was carried out on the map of Turkey at NUTS 3 level. The findings show a more than three-fold increase in employment in the fishing and aquaculture industry over two decades. It was observed that employment in this industry was predominantly concentrated in the full regional industrial specialization cluster (LQ≥3). The mapping study also concluded that there has been an increase in the agglomeration of the fishing and aquaculture industry from inland waters to coastal areas over two decades. In summary, a transformation is observed with a significant increase in industrial activities in the sea instead of industrial activities in inland rivers, lakes, ponds, and dams.