Turkish fishermen anticipate the most abundant bonito catch in recent years as the new industrial fishing season opens across the country’s seas on Sept. 1, a fishery cooperative head said.
Central Union of Fishery Cooperatives (SÜRKOOP) Board Head Ramazan Özkaya said all signs point to a highly productive bonito season. He said an expected increase in bonito will likely reduce anchovy populations across Turkish waters since the larger fish naturally prey on them.
Fishermen completed their vessel maintenance and net repairs despite continuously rising input costs, particularly fuel. Noting aquatic resources belong equally to the country’s 86 million citizens, Özkaya urged consumers to reject illegally caught fish while calling on authorities to strictly enforce size and location bans.
Declining marine stocks drive younger generations away from the sector, resulting in aging crews, Özkaya said. “We want young people to stay in this profession,” he said, calling for sustainable fishing practices to pass the marine resources to future generations.
For the first time this year, the Agriculture and Forestry Ministry allowed small-scale fishermen using gillnets to begin catching bonito on Aug. 15. Özkaya said the 15-day head start protects traditional fishers from fierce industrial competition, allowing them to sell their two to three crates of catch profitably before large fleets arrive.
Türkiye imposes seasonal fishing bans annually from April 15 to Sept. 1 to preserve aquatic ecosystems and allow fish populations to spawn. The industrial fleet accounts for the vast majority of seafood production, while small fisheries remain crucial for coastal economies and traditional livelihoods.
