Türkiye’s fishing season kicked off on Friday, marked by the federal government’s choice to carry a ban that aimed to eradicate discarded fishing gear from Turkish seas, a transfer that has contributed to the preservation of hundreds of thousands of marine creatures. While the ban on fishing within the Marmara, Aegean and Black Sea areas ended, the Mediterranean will see the ban lifted on Sept. 16.
The fishing ban, which was in impact from April 15 to Sept. 1, concluded with a gap ceremony attended by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. As fishermen solid their nets after a 4.5-month hiatus, the waters teemed with fish, sparking a flurry of exercise in fish markets throughout the nation.
Seçkin Ocak, a fisherman from Ordu, stated, “The fish population is currently low, but with the start of the season we are hopeful for good days.”
Another fisherman, Ibrahim Menekşe, predicted a sturdy season with an abundance of anchovies. He remarked, “The initial bonito catch of the season is somewhat small, but it will grow. We also have haddock and horse mackerel mixed in. The season has started well, and I hope citizens will enjoy plenty of fish.”
The number of fish is predicted to extend, with choices together with purr, horse mackerel and bluefish now obtainable. Sardines are but to make an look. Prices are at present decrease than standard, making fish a extra inexpensive selection. Typically, sardines promote for TL 50 ($1.87), horse mackerel for TL 60-70, and haddock for costs starting from TL 70-80. It is hoped that these costs will entice customers to take pleasure in extra fish this 12 months.
Fishermen from the Bandırma district of Balıkesir, a major aquaculture hub in southern Marmara, returned with a bountiful catch of sardines, anchovies and horse mackerel. Their haul included 348 instances of sardines, 245 instances of anchovies and 228 instances of horse mackerel, which have been then categorized by dimension and destined for metropolitan cities like Ankara, Istanbul and Bursa.
Özcan Ateş, an official from the fish market, disclosed that costs ranged from TL 300 to 600 for sardine instances, TL 800 to 1,000 for anchovy instances, and TL 400 to 600 for horse mackerel instances, relying on their dimension.
Osman Kocaman, chairperson of a fishing firm, indicated a promising begin to the season with anchovies in Bandırma Bay. He famous: “We cannot make firm predictions about the sustainability and development of fishing due to the warm water temperatures. However, at least for anchovies, this year looks better compared to the previous year. They seem larger, which is a positive sign.”
Emin Gürer, proprietor of one other fishing firm, expressed hope for a profitable 2023-2024 fishing season. He anticipated a superb season. “The signs are already visible in the sea. We believe there’s an abundance of sardines and anchovies, offering affordable options for consumers. Although bonito appears slightly weaker than last year, we expect it to arrive with a one-month delay,” he stated.
As the fishing season commences, considerations about marine life persist because of the menace posed by ghost nets – fishing gear haphazardly disposed of or deserted at sea. Studies point out that 309 marine organisms perish in each 100 meters of ghost web, posing a grave menace to biodiversity. Conservation efforts to clear ghost nets span a number of areas in Türkiye, masking each coastal and landlocked areas. This 12 months, much more provinces will be a part of the marketing campaign, which has already combed an space of roughly 96 million sq. meters, clearing and partially recycling 546,000 sq. meters of nets.
Source: www.dailysabah.com
