Turkish engineer makes fish leather purses out of invasive species 
TR Source: daily sabah 9/6/2022
Turkish engineer makes fish leather purses out of invasive species
Credit: dpa
Invasive species have been taking hold in Turkish seas with rising global mobility and climate change. Toxic puffer fish have been wrecking the Turkish coastal ecosystem for decades, destroying local stock and fishing livelihoods alike. While past measures to contain the species had limited impact, a Turkish engineer has created an innovative product he hopes will help.
 

Mehmet Özata lays out his colorful collection of leather products, from purses to key rings, all made from the skin of puffer fish, an invasive species that has been terrorizing the Turkish coast for decades. An engineer in Alanya, near Antalya, Özata has been working with local universities to create a sustainable leather made from the skins of this problematic fish. While his project is still at an early stage and output depends on the size of local catches, his products are attracting interest from Russia to the Middle East, Özata said. Plus, they are raising awareness of the problem.

 
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