Türkiye breaks record in fisheries with 1M tons in 2023: Agency

ANKARA

Türkiye broke a record in fisheries with nearly 1 million tons of fish in 2023, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry’s General Directorate of Fisheries and Aquaculture.

“Close to 1 million tons of fish were caught last year, and this year, we have a target of over 575,000 tons of aquaculture,” the agency’s director Mustafa Altug Atalay told Anadolu.

Atalay said that Türkiye hosted the largest Fish Forum in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea last week, in the southern city of Antalya.

He noted that the world’s seas are under pressure from climate change and non-native invasive species, and said solutions to problems discussed at the forum and resulting suggestions will be presented to policymakers.

Atalay highlighted that fish production in Türkiye is carried out through fishing and aquaculture and Türkiye stands out in Europe for its capability and fishing power.

"Türkiye ranks first in the world in the European seabass and the silver seabream breeding and ranks second in trout farming, meaning that Türkiye determines the market and offers fish to a significant extent,” he said.

Atalay pointed out that Türkiye became popular for aquaculture exports since fish products are exported to more than 100 countries.

“We have included fish farming within the scope of production planning, and rather than producing too much, we aim to produce exactly according to the need and in a way that will provide an optimum price policy,” he said.

“We will produce salmon, European seabass, silver seabream, and mussels,” he added.

R&D studies carried out to fight invasive species

Atalay said the research and development support in the fisheries sector is beneficial and his ministry is carrying out studies not only in aquaculture and production but in the fight against invasive species.

He underlined that it has made efforts to prevent the spread of the silver-cheeked toadfish, an invasive species that has recently increased. “We will increase our efforts to prevent the increase in the silver-cheeked toadfish up to four times, with instructions given by Ibrahim Yumakli, minister of agriculture and forestry.”

“We will both provide economic support to fisherfolk, and we will carry out important work to reduce these species,” he added.

*Writing by Emir Yildirim