Turkey’s live fish production in 2023 shot past the 2020 record of 837,000 tonnes, to nearly 1 million tonnes (MT). 

On February 28, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry’s General Directorate of Fisheries and Aquaculture quoted a harvest worth almost 1 million MT of aquaculture.

The target for 2024 is 575,000 MT for aquaculture alone, which implies an even larger share of fish production.

Fish consumption in Turkey accounts for a little portion of production utility. In 2021, the country had a per capita consumption rate of 5.48 kg per year or position 129 among FAOstat countries. Therefore, the bulk of fish produced in the country goes into export. 

Export revenue has continued to surge in recent years. While this revenue came shy of the billion-dollar target in 2019,  it eventually hit $1 billion in 2020. The then agriculture minister, Bekir Pakdemirli said in 2020 that their target for coming years was $2 billion.

The country has over 100 fish export destinations worldwide, mainly to the European Union (EU), Russia, the United States and Japan. The EU is a major buyer of Turkey’s sea bass.

According to the ministry’s statement, European sea bass from Turkey ranks first worldwide in production, and so is silver sea bream. The yearly output of sea bream represents more than 40% of world production.

The Levant nation also comes second globally in trout production, especially rainbow trout raised from freshwater sources. There are also significant contributions in mussel and salmon production from sea and freshwater sources.

Salmon and sea bass from Turkey, on the other hand, have almost become identity “brands” for the country. The trend began back in 2020 when production for the two species was massive.

Now, however, a new threat in form of invasive species has come to stamp its mark on production gains.

Notably, the 2023 results emerged a week after the port of Antalya hosted the Mediterranean and Black Sea Fish Forum. The discussion there touched on invasive species that are wrecking havoc on fish production worldwide.

While in the Atlantic migrating species are occupying warming waters in lobster territory, in Turkey toadfish are occupying trout territory.

Turkey’s General Directorate of Fisheries and Aquaculture’s director, Mustafa Altug Atalay summarized the issue on February 28. He promised to offer fishermen economic support to end the invasive species and boost fish production.