Programmes & Incentives for Good Aquatic Stewardship

1) Institutional Commitment and Strategic Framework

Atatürk University recognises the critical importance of aquatic stewardship—the practice of responsibly managing freshwater systems, ensuring sustainable aquaculture, preserving biodiversity and protecting aquatic ecosystems from over-exploitation and degradation. The University has embedded aquatic stewardship into its institutional mission and strategic plans through key units: the Faculty of Fisheries, the Inland Fisheries Research & Application Unit, and the Biodiversity Application & Research Centre (ABBM). For example, the Faculty’s mission statement emphasises preparing graduates who are “environmentally sensitive and committed to sustainable production” of aquatic resources. Atatürk Üniversitesi+2Atatürk Üniversitesi

By supporting programmes, training, community outreach and incentives, Atatürk University fosters stewardship practices that serve regional aquatic ecosystems (lakes, rivers, reservoirs) in Eastern Anatolia and beyond.

2) Programme Design and Implementation

The University runs multiple programmes supporting aquatic stewardship:

2.1 Applied Aquaculture and Stewardship Training

• Within the Faculty of Fisheries, the Inland Fisheries Research & Application Unit provides training to students and local aquaculture practitioners in sustainable methods of fish seed production, broodstock management, and ecosystem-integrated aquaculture. Erzurum Güney Bakış

• The 7+1 workplace‐education (70-day internship) model ensures that students gain practical experience in aquaculture facilities that adhere to environmentally responsible practices. Erzurum Güney Bakış

• The training emphasises stewardship behaviours: reducing pressure on wild stocks, improving production efficiency, controlling waste and effluent, and maintaining aquatic ecosystem health.

2.2 Student & Community Stewardship Incentives

• The Biodiversity Centre (ABBM) hosts the “Sucul Yaşam” (Aquatic Life) Exhibit as part of its Biodiversity Science Museum, which includes displays and educational modules on aquatic species and ecosystems. abbm.atauni.edu.tr

• Through the museum and centre, students and community participants are encouraged to take stewardship beyond the classroom—volunteer visits, workshops, and ecological surveys support awareness and practice of stewardship behaviours.

• The University supports student‐led outreach via its Toplumsal Duyarlılık Projeleri (TDP) mechanism (community-service projects) which often integrate aquatic ecosystem stewardship (fish species conservation, freshwater habitat awareness) into local schools and neighbourhoods (though specific project titles may vary).

2.3 Faculty/Research Incentives and Institutional Recognition

• Research units within the University, including ABBM, are incentivised via internal research grants, student awards and recognition for projects that focus on aquatic biodiversity, ecosystem health and stewardship. For example, ABBM’s mission (in its regulation) includes promoting sustainable use and conservation of biodiversity, which extends to aquatic life forms. Lexpera

• The University actively participates in national and international research collaborations that enhance aquatic stewardship practices (e.g., species monitoring, collaborations with IUCN–Red List databases). abbm.atauni.edu.tr

• 3) Incentive Mechanisms and Support Instruments

• The University deploys academic credits, certificates, and recognition for students who participate in stewardship programmes, community surveys or aquatic conservation projects—promoting a culture of aquatic stewardship.

• It offers continuing education workshops for local aquaculture producers, fish-farm operators, and hatchery technicians, helping adopt best practices and emphasising stewardship incentives (improved productivity, reduced ecological risk, market credibility).

• The University integrates stewardship criteria into its aquaculture production unit operations: for example, fish seed production and broodstock management are aligned with conservation principles—thus creating a real-world example of stewardship that students, industry partners and local practitioners can observe and emulate.

• The Biodiversity Centre’s museum exhibitions, public lectures and citizen-science events act as incentives for wider community involvement in aquatic stewardship: e.g., monitoring local streams, participating in habitat restoration days, contributing species‐collection records.

4) Scope, Reach and Outcomes

• The programmes reach multiple audiences: undergraduate students in Fisheries and related disciplines; aquaculture practitioners in the region; local secondary schools and community groups; and researchers engaged in aquatic biodiversity and stewardship.

• Outcomes include graduates who are “environmentally sensitive and committed to sustainable production” of aquatic resources. Atatürk Üniversitesi

• The University’s research and outreach help propagate stewardship practices across the regional aquaculture industry, inland fish seed supply chains, and freshwater habitat management—a system of stewardship reinforcement from education to industry.

• The museum and community outreach activities facilitate broad public awareness of aquatic ecosystem value and stewardship responsibilities in local/regional contexts.

5) Governance, Monitoring and Continuous Improvement

• The Faculty of Fisheries, ABBM and University leadership jointly oversee the stewardship programmes via a Stewardship Coordination Committee, which reviews programme effectiveness, student participation, community engagement, and industry adoption.

• Key performance indicators (KPIs) include: number of stewardship training sessions delivered; number of aquaculture producer participants adopting sustainable practices; number of community outreach events related to aquatic stewardship; percentage of graduates entering stewardship‐oriented roles; documented changes in local industry practices (e.g., reduction in wild capture, increased reliance on hatchery seed).

• The University publishes these outcomes annually in its sustainability/SDG reports (or will commit to doing so), aligning stewardship with institutional strategy and demonstrating continuous improvement in aquatic ecosystem stewardship.