Mediterranean Conservation Society

As the Department of Gastronomy and Culinary Arts at İzmir University of Economics (IEU), we had the pleasure of hosting the Mediterranean Conservation Society. Caner Bayrak, Resource Management and Administrative Affairs Coordinator, and Gizem Akdoğan, Secretary General, provided our students with information about the organization’s work and their ecosystem restoration program, “Yeni Balıklar” (New Fish).

During the presentation, it was emphasized that some invasive fish species, originally from the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean, have reached our waters due to the opening of the Suez Canal and the effects of climate change, posing a threat to the local ecosystem and disrupting biological balance.

As a solution to this ecological issue, the Yeni Balıklar program, developed by the society, aims to integrate edible invasive species into culinary culture. It was stated that species such as lionfish, soldierfish, Nile barb, lokum fish, and tailspot snapper, found along the Turkish coast, could contribute to the preservation of the ecosystem and create a new source of income for small-scale fishers.

We sincerely thank the Mediterranean Conservation Society for sharing this valuable information with our students, promoting sustainable fishing practices in our seas, and introducing new flavors to our cuisine.