Fishermen from the Black Sea who started their struggle to catch fish from the sea by saying “Vira bismillah” on September 1st are returning to the ports with crates full of bonito. Tons of bonito caught in nets are being brought to the market and sold to buyers at prices ranging from 40 to 50 lira per piece.
Namık Ünlü, the President of the Sinop Central Fisheries Cooperative, stated that the season has started very nicely and abundantly for the fishermen. He highlighted that the abundance of bonito in particular is making the fishermen who have been going through a tough time quite happy, and that their predictions of a bonito abundance before the season have come true.
Pointing out that large amounts of bonito are being caught all over the Black Sea region, Ünlü said, “Our season has started very well. We have plenty of fish varieties. We were already expecting a lot of bonito. Our expectations are coming true, hopefully.” He expressed his hope that the abundance in bonito fishing would last about 2 months, and added, “We are seeing bonito very well now. We hope it will continue for 1-2 months, until the migration time of bonito. Later on, with anchovies, horse mackerel, the season will carry on. Of course, there is plenty, prices are low now. We have put 700-800 gram bonitos on sale for 50 lira. We have sales for everyone’s budget. Even though the costs are high, we are making profits due to the abundance. Therefore, we present it to our people, may our people eat plenty.”
Fisherman Mert Kanal also indicated that their hopes were not in vain before the season of bonito. Stating that the season is going as they wished, Kanal said, “We were already hopeful for the season. Our hopes were not in vain. The season started very nicely. Bonito fishing is abundant and fruitful. One fish reached up to 700-800 grams, and dropped to 50 lira. One fish is enough for not only one person, but almost 2 people to be full. This is a good thing. Because fishing contributes to the country’s economy. It means that people can eat plenty of fish inexpensively. Hopefully, this situation will continue. When it continues, both us and our people are happy. Also, those who catch it are happy too, because this is a chain.”
In Akçakoca, which has an important fishing port on the West Black Sea, fishermen who set out to the Black Sea with their boats return to the port early in the morning after loading the caught bonitos into crates. The bonitos loaded into crates are then sent to surrounding provinces and districts to adorn the fish market stalls.
Haydar Yaman, a fisherman, stated that bonito has started to show itself in the new season and expressed his hope that if it continues like this, people will be able to eat fish at cheap prices this year. Another fisherman, Gürol Alpan, said that they had a much better start to the new season compared to last year. In Akçakoca, three bonitos are finding buyers for 200 liras at fish market stalls.
