Nearly 263,000 tons of fish caught in Turkish waters in 2021: Survey

ANKARA 

Some 262,297 tons of fish were caught in seas surrounding Turkey in 2021, with the anchovy topping the list, the country’s official statistical institution, TÜİK, announced.

“When the distribution of sea fish caught was examined, the highest quantity is anchovy with some 151,598 tons,” TÜİK said in a statement on June 2.

According to the survey named “Fishery products 2021,” sprat at 28,041 tons and horse mackerel at 19,590 tons followed the anchovy.

The institute also published a chart showing the annual haul of three fish species over the last decade. According to the chart, 2019 was the “golden year” for anchovy capture with more than 250,000 tons.

2015 was another “golden year” for fishermen as more than 70,000 tons of sprat were caught, a record of its own.

Fishery production increased by 1.8 percent in 2021 with respect to the previous year at 799,851 tons.

“The total fishery production was composed of caught sea fish at 32.8 percent, other sea products at 4.1 percent, inland water products at 4.1 percent and aquaculture products at 59 percent,” the institution said.

In 2021, the catch of the fishery products decreased by 9.9 percent.

“While the production made by capture was 328,165 tons, aquaculture production totaled 471,686 tons,” TÜİK noted.

The survey also showed that “the capture of marine production decreased by 10.9 percent, and the capture of inland water production increased by 0.1 percent with respect to the previous year.”

With an increase of 11.9 percent, aquaculture production was 335,644 tons from the seas, and 136,042 tons from the inland waters in 2021.

While the most important type produced from inland waters is trout with 135,732 tons, the most important types produced from the sea are sea bass with 155,151 tons and sea bream with 133,476 tons.