Fishing ban begins in the seas; fines to reach up to 170 thousand liras

The ban on fishing in the Aegean Sea will begin on April 15 and continue until August 31. İzmir Provincial Director of Agriculture and Forestry Mustafa Şahin stated that those who do not comply with the ban during this period will be subject to administrative fines ranging from 5 thousand 600 liras to 170 thousand liras. It was announced that during the inspections carried out in İzmir last season, a total of over 3 million liras in fines were issued to those acting in violation of the regulations.

İzmir is one of Turkey's important seafood fishing centers with its 629-kilometer coastline and 1,738 fishing boats. In the 2024-2025 season, over 10 thousand tons of seafood were caught in İzmir. Şahin said, "Sardine fishing stands out in the Aegean Region, and we have started a quota application for anchovies this year. In the future, quotas may also come for other species."

Stating that inspections are carried out at 30 landing points, Şahin expressed that around 1,500 fishing vessels were checked this season and 23 tons of fish were confiscated. He also said that inspections are continuing with the control boat named Reis Bey located in İzmir.

Mehmet Aksoy, President of the İzmir Seafood Hunters Producers Union, said, "Although fishing this season was not exactly as we wanted, it did not go badly. We applied the quota system to İzmir, and we will correct our shortcomings this year. Fishermen will maintain their nets, and we will start the new season on September 1." Touching on the difficulties of the fishing trade, Aksoy stated that they spend their earnings on the maintenance of their boats and expressed that they are hopeful for the next season.