Turkey – Once Fish Paradise


Turkey - Once Fish Paradise


When you know a country is surrounded by seas from three sides you expect an abundance of fish. Many decades ago the poor ate fish and homeless and jobless individuals used fishing to survive. All that has change however and fish amounts decrease due to improper fishing methods and commercial fishing too. Today you will find that the rich eat more fish in fine restaurants serving fresh catch of the day.


We list the seasonal and available fish you can still get in restaurants and dinner tables.

  • April until July – Red Mullet – Barbunya
  • After October – Young Blue fish – Cinekop
  • September to November – Large Bonito – Torik
  • March to April – garpike – Zargana
  • November to January – Mackerel – Uskumru
  • February to July – striped goat fish – Tekir
  • July to October – sardine
  • August to January – bonito – Palamut
  • Throughout the year – tuna fish – orkinos
  • Throughout the year – grouper – Orfoz
  • Throughout the year – whiting – mezgit
  • Throughout the year – red sea bream – mercan
  • September to January – bluefish – Lufer
  • Throughout the year – sea bass – levrek
  • July to September – chub mackerel – Kolyoz

  • April to September – Red gurnard – Kirlangic
  • August to April – Sword fish – kilic baligi
  • January to March – Gray mullet – Kefal
  • Throughout the year – goby – Kaya baligi
  • Throughout the year – sea bream – karagoz
  • February to April – turbot – kalkan
  • February to April – blotched picarel – izimarit
  • Throughout the year – horse mackerel – istavrit
  • May to July – scorpion fish – iskorpit
  • December to February – anchovy
  • February to March – sand smelt – Gumus baligi
  • May to August – rockling fish – gelincik baligi
  • Throughout the year – angler fish – fener baligi
  • Throughout the year – sole – dil baligi
  • Throughout the year – gilt-head bream – cipura





Protected species in Turkey and special ban dates are also set in place and included in the protected species are sea turtles, sea horses, sandbar sharks, dolphins, cuttlefish and black coral. Fishing is also illegal during breeding seasons that usually last from April until
September depending on species and regions.