Aquaculture facilities off the coast of Arsin, Trabzon, Turkey.
Photo: Adobe Stock
Turkey’s fish production reached a record 1.02 million tonnes in 2025, marking the highest level in the Republic’s history, according to Agriculture and Forestry Minister İbrahim Yumaklı.
Speaking during a meeting with fishermen in Sarıyer, Yumaklı said the result highlighted the effectiveness of production planning measures, particularly the quota system.
“This is truly a very large and significant figure,” the minister said, adding that around 400,000 tonnes came from capture fisheries, while approximately 600,000 tonnes were produced through aquaculture.
While final official figures are expected to be published by Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK) later this year, Yumaklı said ministry records already point to a historic high.
The minister also underlined the sector’s growing contribution to the national economy, noting that fisheries exports reached the USD 2 billion threshold in 2025.
“This is a level befitting a country surrounded by seas on three sides, both for its fishermen and its producers,” he said.
Yumaklı acknowledged that climate change continued to affect the sector, citing rising sea temperatures and shifting migration routes as ongoing challenges. However, he said the industry had navigated the past year without major disruptions.
He also stressed that regulatory changes had been developed in consultation with industry representatives and described the quota system as “highly effective” in ensuring production was aligned with sustainability goals.
Maintaining the balance between conservation and utilisation remained critical, Yumaklı said, thanking both fishing crews and aquaculture producers for adhering to management rules.
Anchovy production was highlighted as a key success, exceeding expectations to reach 245,000 tonnes in 2025.
"2025 was once again a year in which our fishermen made a very significant contribution to the Turkish economy. It was a year in which our production broke records in both capture fisheries and aquaculture. We will continue to work in harmony and cooperation with the sector to ensure that 2026 follows the same path. I wish all our stakeholders in this sector a prosperous, fruitful, safe and peaceful 2026,” Yumaklı said.
