Aegean fishermen instill love for sea and fish among students

IZMIR

Aegean fishermen in İzmir are casting a net of knowledge, welcoming students from kindergarten to high school and immersing them in the rich maritime world of the Aegean Sea, filled with various fish.

In collaboration with the Provincial Directorate of National Education, the Aegean Trawler Fishermen's Association welcomes students, presenting them with the process from fishing to serving the fish on their plates. Mehmet Aksoy, President of the Güzelbahçe Fishermen's Port and the Aegean Trawler Fishermen's Association, provided insights into their initiative. "We offer our freshly caught sardines to our children. We aim to instill a love for the sea and fish in our children," Aksoy stated.

Providing information about fish to the children, Aksoy highlighted the richness of the region in terms of fish varieties, explaining that, "Türkiye has two main fish: anchovy and sardine. Anchovies also contain Omega-3 and phosphorus, but sardines are even richer. Our children are fortunate to live in the Aegean, a region rich in fish. If our children consume fish, both their physical and brain development will proceed much faster."

"The children are happy. Their families thank us. We offer fish sandwiches to our children free of charge. They should get used to fish sandwiches rather than hamburgers," he emphasized.

Berra Çöpçü, a fifth-grade student, expressed her enthusiasm for the event. “I had fun. I love fish. I eat both sardines and anchovies. I learned a lot about fish," she said. First-grade student Eren Canol added, "The activity was so fun. I didn't know anything about fish. Thanks to the activity, I learned a lot. They also served fish, and it was very delicious. I will bring my parents here, too."