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FROM MENACE TO MARVEL
The silver-cheeked toadfish (pufferfish) is an invasive species devastating the Eastern Mediterannean ecosystem. Without natural predators their population has exploded and is now at dangerous levels, threatening native biodiversity, local fisheries, and human health. Legislative intervention by Turkey and Cyprus has provided short term relief, but it's not enough.
Olta Azul is taking a different approach. We have developed a unique process to turn pufferfish skin into a useful leather which we use to create beautiful handcrafted items. We pay local fishers to catch pufferfish, which decreases the pufferfish population while providing jobs and additional revenue streams. We've turned an environmental burden into an economic benefit.
And we're just getting started.
A BETTER LEATHER
Turns an invasive species into an eco-friendly resource. We have created an economy with pufferfish that provides income for local fisherman and tanners and produces high-demand accessories.
Our fishing and leather tanning processes follow the strictest eco-conscious procedures to ensure minimal impact on the local ecosystem.
Pufferfish leather is odourless, durable, waterproof and non-toxic.
Each pufferfish is caught by hook and line to ensure zero bycatch.
Each pufferfish is unique. Our tanning processes maintains the unique patterns, stripes and imperfections of each fish so each piece of pufferfish leather - and each item we create - is one of a kind.
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