If you’ve got a soft spot for fishing, you’ll certainly enjoy turkey’s numerous varieties of fish that live in its waters.Whether you choose to do so at the side of a lake or catch a boat ride and experience fishing at its greatest. There are plenty of opportunities to discover Turkey’s plethora of fish.
Amberjack, blue fish, Dentex, Sargos, Gilthead bream and blotch grouper are among the 350 Mediterranean species that are to be found in Turkey’s four seas. Unfortunately for many, it’s difficult and very rare to find most of the fish;
however with a lot of awareness and alertness, they’re not impossible to find, even in shallow waters. It is said to be more achievable, finding fish in the summer and in the evening, when temperatures lower and swimmers and sunbathers are out the way. A good suggestion would be to have a chat with the local fishermen and ask them for their advice, they’re usually happy to help. The most popular fish that are caught and consumed in turkey are;
Leer fish (lichia amia): mostly seen in the Mediterranean Sea and occasionally in the Aegean.
Mullet (mullus barbatus): A Mediterranean fish. It weighs between 150 and 600 grams.
Anchovy ‘hamsi’ (Engraulis Encrasicholus): Found in all the four seas, but tastes the best from the black.
Swordfish ‘Kiliç’ (Xiphias Gladius): This fish is commonly seen in the Istanbul straights and can grow up to 2.5 meters.
Atlantic Bonito ‘Palamut’ (Pelamys Sarda): Found in the Marmara, Mediterranean and black seas. This fish weighs up to 12kg.
Garfish ‘Zargana’ (Belone Vulgaris): A black sea fish, it weighs up to 1kg at the most.
Crob ‘Minakop’ (Umbrina Cirrosa): This can only be seen in the black sea. It weighs up to 35 kilograms and lives in the deep, rocky waters.
Bogue ‘Küpes’ (Box Vulgaris): Found in the Aegean, Mediterranean, Marmara and in the Çanakkale straight. It weighs up to 1kg.
One of the best experiences for anglers would be to hire a yacht, or take a boat ride. This is the perfect way to explore the coast and indulge in a little traditional net or rod fishing.
A license is not required when fishing in areas- non-prohibited and non-military. This is only if you use non-professional equipment and fishing nets weigh no more than 5 kilograms. If foreigners choose not to oblige with the rules, there will be a heavy penalty fine given. But English expats living in Turkey will tell you to consider buying a license either way, to prevent getting charged a double priced (for foreigners) fee. Here is the license price list:
All Prices quoted are in Turkish Lira
Resident fishing- 21.50
Senior fishing- 12.00
Sport fishing 24 hr- 8.80
Non-resident fishing- 47.50
Non-resident fishing 10 day- 30.50
Resident life time fishing- 650.00
Image courtesy of romy mitterlechner
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