Turkish engineer makes leather purses out of puffer fish skin

Ozata holding a bag made from the skin of the puffer fish, a plague in the Mediterranean Sea that causes problems for fishermen and threatens local stocks. Photos: Anne Pollmann/dpa

Mehmet Ozata lays out his colourful collection of leather products, from purses to key rings, all made from the skin of puffer fish, an invasive species that has been terrorising the Turkish coast for decades.

An engineer in Alanya, near Antalya, Ozata has been working with local universities to create a sustainable leather made from the skins of puffer fish.