As of April 15, the general ban on fishing for fish in order to benefit economically from fishery resources, and to preserve the quality and stocks of fish in the seas and inland waters, has started. In the Black Sea region, fishermen who were disappointed in the season that opened on September 1, 2023, largely had a successful anchovy catch.
President of the Perşembe Fishermen Cooperative in Ordu, Ünal Karadeniz, stated that they started the season with great hopes but did not get what they wanted from the mackerel catch. Karadeniz pointed out that this season had the lowest mackerel fishing in the last 62 years, but all fishermen had a very successful season with anchovies. He also mentioned that the horse mackerel fishing went well overall, and they are now preparing for the new season by maintaining their boats and nets.
Fishermen in Trabzon were satisfied with the anchovy catch as the fishing season came to an end in the Yoroz region. Fisherman Muhammet Ali Bozoklu mentioned that he started the family profession of fishing 15 years ago. Bozoklu expressed that they had a good season with anchovies in the Black Sea this year and stated that preparations for the next season have already begun, such as boat maintenance and repairs. Despite the hard work, he mentioned that they are content with their work and are not complaining.
Yusuf Bayar, who started repairing the nets as the season came to an end, mentioned that they had a generally good fishing season. Barış Zaman, the President of the Rize Artvin Fisheries Cooperative Union, noted that the fishing season was focused on anchovies. Zaman stated that there has been a noticeable decrease in the size of anchovies in recent years, affecting their trade. He emphasized the need for quotas for anchovy fishing to prevent overfishing and maintain the economic value of the fish.
Nadir Kasap, President of the Keşap Fisheries Fisheries Cooperative, also expressed that the fishing season they started with great hopes on September 1, 2023, did not go as expected. He mentioned that both mackerel and anchovy fishing did not meet their expectations, and they had to focus on other fish species like bluefish and horse mackerel. Kasap stated that fishing in their waters was not successful during the season and that fishermen will now start preparing for the new season in hopes of a better outcome. There is a general support among fishermen for the introduction of quotas to regulate fishing practices and preserve the fish population for future seasons.
