Professor Osman Samsun, a faculty member in the Department of Fisheries at Sinop University’s Faculty of Fisheries, said they expect bonito catches to rise significantly once the fishing season begins Sept. 1, while warning that catching undersized fish should be carefully considered in terms of the future of fish stocks.
Speaking to Anadolu Agency (AA), Samsun recalled that, ahead of the fishing season, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry this year for the first time allowed small-scale fishermen to catch fish using nets between Aug. 15 and 31, in addition to traditional methods such as handlines and feather rigs.
He said the impact of the decision was immediately visible, with fish stalls quickly filling up with bonito.
Samsun noted that bonito are currently being caught in large numbers, but said the small size of the fish had raised concerns among scientists. "If they had waited another month, the fish that now weigh 200 to 250 grams would have reached 400 to 450 grams,” he said.
Both scientists and fishermen generally expect bonito catches to increase substantially after the season officially opens Sept. 1, Samsun said.
"As scientists at Sinop University, we share our research and assessments with the ministry,” he said. Scientifically, he explained, fish should be allowed to reach an age at which they can reproduce before being caught. There are doubts about whether the fish currently being caught have reproduced, he added, noting that scientific literature indicates these smaller fish have not yet spawned and therefore have not contributed a new generation to the stock.
"People may be happy because they can buy fish at a lower price, but if we could be a little more patient and wait, these small fish would grow to much greater weights and become more productive and well-fed,” Samsun said.
Emphasizing that everyone has a responsibility to ensure Türkiye’s fisheries potential and fish stocks are passed on to future generations, Samsun said a balance was being sought between the interests of different groups.
"There is an effort to establish a social balance,” he said, explaining that small-scale fishermen may argue that they should catch some fish first because larger purse seine vessels will already catch substantial quantities. "That may seem reasonable, but when we look at the bigger picture and the future of Türkiye’s fish stocks, there are views within the scientific community that, particularly because of climate change and rising temperatures, it would be more beneficial to extend the fishing period into October.”
Samsun stressed that all stakeholders need to come together around scientific evidence and common sense to protect fish stocks.