Future demand will be met from fish farming
This article was featured in Eurofish Magazine 1 2024.
Surrounded by sea on three sides, Türkiye has an ancient maritime and capture fishing tradition. In addition to shipping and fishing, Turkish waters in the Mediterranean, Aegean, and Black Seas, as well as the Marmara Sea are host to multiple economic activities including marine aquaculture and tourism. The country‘s potential aquaculture production area is close to the total terrestrial agricultural area, and the economic contribution of farmed fish and seafood increases every year.
Thanks to its size and location and the presence of different ecosystems Türkiye has approximately 530 fish species in its seas and around 380 fish species in inland waters. More than 100 species are economically exploited in marine and inland waters. In 2022, 850,000 tonnes of aquatic products were produced in Türkiye, of which production from capture fisheries was 335,000 tons (39.4%), and from aquaculture was 515,000 tonnes. Due to increasing population and growing interest in healthy nutrition, demand for aquatic products is increasing in Türkiye as well as in the world. Capture fisheries production is unlikely to grow in the future as most commercially important fish stocks are fully exploited, so greater demand must be met from the aquaculture sector.
An industry that brings several benefits
Turkish farmed production of marine and freshwater fish and seafood meets the population’s need for healthful, nutritious, and tasty food, creates commercial activity, provides employment, and contributes to the country‘s economy through domestic and foreign trade. Over the last two decades the aquaculture sector has achieved significant momentum. It has increased the number of cultured species, carried out breeding and development studies, boosted production, ensured the supply-demand balance of aquatic products, protected and supported fish stocks, created new employment opportunities, and developed an export-oriented sector.
Policies governing the sector are designed to foster fish and seafood cultivation by creating a stable legal framework and defining management measures. These studies together with new technological opportunities have led to an increase in aquaculture production and in exports owing to developments in production, processing, and preservation techniques. Production volumes, domestic, and export sales continue to develop promisingly, so the contribution of aquatic products to the country‘s economy is expected to continue to increase every year. Türkiye‘s aquaculture exports, which were 178 thousand tonnes and 1 million dollars five years ago, increased to 251 thousand tonnes and 1.65 billion dollars in 2022 and were sent to more than 100 countries despite the negative effects of the pandemic. The volume and value of exports are expected to exceed these figures in 2023. In contrast, the import of aquatic products in 2022 amounted to 115 thousand tonnes valued at 313 million dollars.
Seafood exported primarily to EU countries
A positive momentum has been achieved in favour of the country in the foreign trade balance of aquatic products. Exports have increased steadily in the last decade and aquatic products originating from Türkiye have been accepted in the world market. It is generally felt that the market advantage enjoyed by seafood from Türkiye is high and that export performance can be increased. Türkiye‘s production capacity, species diversity, production technology, product processing skills in accordance with European Union norms, and geographical proximity to target markets are among the advantages it enjoys with regard to its export performance.
Small and large capacity aquaculture enterprises are spread across every region of the country. The number of vertically integrated groups with their own hatcheries, feed factories, on-growing facilities, product packaging and processing factories, sales and marketing departments is increasing year by year. Thanks to the marine and freshwater production areas available to fish farmers, Türkiye is the world’s top producer of sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) and sea bream (Sparus aurata) and the second largest producer of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). It is Europe’s largest producer of all three species. In 2022, trout production was 191 thousand tonnes, sea bass production 157 thousand tonnes, and sea bream production 152 thousand tonnes. Türkiye is the world’s second largest exporter of seabass and seabream most of which is destined for EU countries.
Other species are farmed in modest amounts
Other Mediterranean species such as meagre, sharp snout seabream, common dentex, pink dentex, red porgy, among others, are also cultivated. In recent years, significant developments have been seen in mussel farming. Tuna, which is indispensable for Japanese cuisine, is one of Türkiye‘s important export products. Rainbow trout is the main salmonid species cultivated in Türkiye and is widely grown. It is suitable for the country‘s water and environmental conditions and is farmed in the country‘s cold water rivers, lakes, and reservoirs.
The over two-kilogram trout (Salmo labrax), grown on farms and in net cages in the Black Sea and marketed under the name “Turkish salmon”, has been the rising star of the Turkish aquaculture industry in recent years as companies have discovered a ready market for the fish. After twelve months on freshwater farms, trout are kept in sea cages for six to eight months, reaching harvest size in less than two years. While the average size of trout is 250 – 350 grams, Turkish salmon averages between 2 and 3 kg and large specimens can reach 5 kg. Its flesh is dark pink in colour, firm, and very tasty. Turkish salmon producers and the processing sector produce value-added products such as fillets, frozen whole fish, smoked fish, and caviar, appealing to a wide consumer base.
Constant search for new markets
Approximately three quarters of Türkiye’s aquaculture exports consist of farmed fish. These products are sought after in world markets due to their high production standards, quality, and taste. But the industry is not resting on its laurels. It is focused on acquiring new markets for its fish by creating awareness and increasing product diversity. Government institutions and the private sector have worked together to create a road map for the future. This includes projects to develop market range, and to promote the sector. Activities are carried out involving all the stakeholders; the administration, producer and exporter associations, and non-governmental organisations. At trade fairs, for example, a big Turkish pavilion will host representatives from many companies, each with its own booth. They will present their products and organise tasting sessions. All the representatives of the sector work together to ensure that high quality aquatic products of Turkish origin are effectively promoted to visitors to the pavilion in a bid to secure new customers.