With only a few days left before the fishing season begins in the Black Sea, fishermen have largely completed maintenance on their boats and nets. Fishermen in Ordu and Trabzon expect catches of bonito and anchovies in particular to be abundant this season.
Boats and nets undergo maintenance
Ünal Karadeniz, head of the Perşembe Fishermen’s Cooperative in Ordu, said boats and equipment had undergone maintenance and repairs after the fishing ban that began on April 15.
Karadeniz said the nets had been repaired and deficiencies on the boats had been addressed, adding that preparations for the new season were nearly complete.
Fishermen hopeful about bonito
Karadeniz said anchovies had been abundant last season while bonito catches had been low, adding that observations indicated bonito numbers would increase this season. He said the largest anchovy catch of the past eight years had been recorded last season, but the expected yield from bonito had not been achieved.
Karadeniz said bonito had been seen in large numbers along almost the entire Turkish coastline, from east to west. He added that other fishermen had made similar observations.
Fisherman Tarık Arslantürk said they also expected horse mackerel, whiting and red mullet to be caught in abundance, in addition to bonito. Arslantürk said they hoped fish markets would become more active from September 1 and that residents would have easier access to fish.
Net repairs continue in Trabzon
Ayhan Çalış, who was maintaining his boat at the port in Trabzon’s Çarşıbaşı district, said he hoped to experience one of the best fishing periods to date this season. Çalış said bonito appeared plentiful at sea, but the true state of the season would become clear once fishing began.
Çalış said they were replacing worn nets with small holes and that repair work was continuing. He said they planned to complete maintenance on the nets within a few days and wished all fishermen a productive season.
Expectations for anchovies and bonito lead the outlook
Emin Şimşek, one of the fishermen operating at Yoroz Port, said he hoped bonito and anchovies would be plentiful this season. Şimşek said a productive season would please both residents and fishing industry workers.
Fisherman Rahman Şahin said they had caught bluefish, horse mackerel and anchovies last season, while they were observing a high concentration of bonito at sea this season.
Emrehan Köroğlu said their expectations for bonito were high and that they hoped for a similar yield in anchovy fishing later in the season. Köroğlu wished fishermen a safe season without accidents.
