fishing season – For Turkey, which has four seas, fishing is an important pillar of the country’s economy, especially in the Black Sea region of the country, fish is the main livelihood for millions of families
Hundreds of thousands of fishermen in Turkey with their boats went out to sea for the first time today and cast their nets to catch fish.
After the five months in which fishing has been banned /from April 15 to September 1/ by the Turkish Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry to restore fish stocks, the new fishing season began at dawn this morning.
According to official data, there are about 20 thousand registered fishing vessels, but it is assumed that there are many more.
And the species of fish that thrive in the Marmara, Aegean, Black and Mediterranean seas exceed 1,000. Of these, about 100 species have economic value and can be caught.
According to representatives of fishing associations, a rich catch of bonito is expected this year.
Fishermen’s predictions are also confirmed by scientists.
Prof. Dr. Saadet Karakulak of Istanbul University’s Faculty of Aquatic Sciences said their studies also show the presence of large amounts of bonito in marine waters.
“Nevertheless, the fishermen have a difficult season ahead of them. The increase in fuel prices will also affect fish prices. Probably, even with the progress of the season /in previous years in the fall, the fish was quite cheap/ it will still not be as cheap as in previous years”, said the scientist.
“This year we will have as much bonito as we haven’t had in many years. But due to global warming, the catch may slow down. Because due to the heat, the bonito retreats into the deep waters. So it will probably be a while before it appears on the fishing stalls for sale. Overall, we expect it to be more expensive than previous years. Unfortunately, the fact that we will have a lot of bonito does not solve the problems of the fishery. There are no legal regulations, no measures are taken against poaching. Nor preferences for the development of fisheries,” says the chairman of the regional Association of Fishermen’s Cooperatives, Erdogan Kartal.
For Turkey, which has four seas, fishing is an important part of the country’s economy. Especially in the Black Sea region of the country, fish is the main livelihood for millions of families.
The start of the new season is eagerly awaited and marked with celebrations. In many coastal cities such as Istanbul, Samsun, Trabzon, celebrations took place, with fireworks, with wishes “Vira Bismillah” /traditional expression of fishermen when they go out to sea/ on the occasion of the opening of the new fishing season.
The Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, Prof. Dr. Vahit Kirişci, opened the season in Istanbul’s Sarıyer district, on the shores of the Bosphorus. He promised that the state-owned Ziraat Bank would extend low-interest loans to fishermen.
Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu participated in the opening of the fishing season in Tuzla, the fishing area on the coast of the Marmara Sea.
About 200 species of fish thrive in the Sea of Marmara.
The mayor called for strict action against fish poachers.
Photo by Elianne Dipp:
