Black Sea fishermen anticipate bountiful bonito season

Fishermen in Bandırma and the Black Sea region are anticipating a productive new fishing season following the lifting of the purse seine fishing ban on September 1. Early sightings of bonito (palamut) by small vessels since mid-August have raised hopes for a high-yield season, with some local fishermen comparing the current abundance to levels seen 15 to 20 years ago.

Currently, early-season bonito weighing between 250 and 300 grams are appearing on markets. In the Bandırma Fish Market, individual bonito are priced at 150 TL, or two for 250 TL, while sea sea bass and sea bream are sold for approximately 350 TL each. Fishermen expect fish sizes and availability to increase as the season progresses.