Turkish Aquaculture Sector Growth

Turkish Aquaculture Sector Growth

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.

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.

­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.

More information available at: https://eurofish.dk/the-turkish-aquaculture-sector-has-seen-impressive-growth/