What are the most common fish in the seas around Turkey?

Question

I specifically mean the fish that end up being part of the local cuisine. Also, are there other types of seafood that are served locally?

Answer 1

Barbunya (red mullet), from April to July this is a vegetarian fish BTW, You catch these with two tennis balls and a coat hanger.(too many bones) but good for soup.

Çinekop (young of blue fish) after October

Çipura (gilt-head bream), all throughout the year. The most famous Aegean Sea fish. However recently it has been raised at sea farms, therefore you can meet both sea and culture Çipura. Obviously, sea Çipura is the most delicious.

Dil Balığı (sole) all throughout the year. Fried is recommended.

Fener balığı (angler fish) all throughout the year.

Gelincik balığı (rockling fish) from May to August. Also known as gaya fish among the Jewish community. With the belief that being the first fish eaten after starving at Sinai desert it is considered sacred. It is a tradition of Jews to cook this fish on Fridays.

Gümüş balığı (sand smelt) February, March found glabally we call it california smelt here in California but they are global.

Hamsi (anchovy), from December to February. Although small, one of the most famous Black Sea fish. Delicious with various cooking styles such as frying, steaming etc.

İskorpit (scorpion fish), from May to July. Since it has poisonous thorns absolutely let the fisherman fillet it. But if you get a big one very good eats. Very firm meat.

İstavrit (horse mackerel), all throughout the year. It is very enjoyable to catch this fish during spring and summer off the pavements of Bosphorus coasts.

İzmarit (blotched picarel), from February to April. Again it is very enjoyable to catch this fish during spring and summer on the pavements of Bosphorus coasts

Kalkan (turbot), from February to April. A Black Sea fish. The ones weighing 4-5 kg. are eligible. For it has thick spine and fishbone always let fisherman clean off.

Karagöz (sea bream), all throughout the year. One of the most delicious fish of Turkish seas.

Kaya balığı (goby), all throughout the year.

Kefal (gray mullet) from January to March.

Kılıç balığı (sword fish), from August to April. One of the most delicious fish, but unfortunately it is almost impossible to find nowadays. Most fish served as Kılıç in the restaurants are shark or other white fish. You have a better chance of coming up with a lake Van Monster.

Kırlangıç (red gurnard), from April to September. One of the most precious fish soups of which is more than delicious.

Kofana (large bluefish), from September to January

Kolyoz (chub mackerel), from July to September

Levrek (sea bass), all throughout the year. This rare fish has recently been raised at sea farms; therefore you can meet both sea and culture sea bass. Of course sea levrek is more delicious.

Lüfer (bluefish), from September to January. The king of the Turkish seas.

Mercan (red sea bream), all throughout the year

Mezgit (whiting), very plentiful and good.

Orfoz (grouper), all throughout the year

Orkinos (tuna fish), a kind of fish that cannot be seen on the stands of fishermen. They are used for canning purpose only not so available anymore. These are all gone I have only seen in pictures and heard the old fisherman tell stories.

Palamut (bonito), from August to January. A black sea fish. Richer than other fish with vitamin A and D.

Sardalya (sardine), from July to October

Tekir (striped goat fish), from February to July

Torik (large bonito), from September to November

Uskumru (true mackerel), November to January. They are globally, not my favorite, but Spanish Mackeral are pretty good.

Zargana (garfish, garpike), We have them in The USA too, March and April


Just so you know the fishing hooks in Turkey are European influence that means they do not have eyes for your fishline. They take a while to get use to.

The best method I have found for fishing off a boat is;
Drop anchor
Chum with bread crumbs
Use a small treble hook
and get smelt for live bait
the recast bait with a larger snelled hook and your in business


For bottom fish iron and squid

Let me also say most fishmongers will trade you shrimp and other fish for your fresh catch, Barter your catch and try som of the decapod crustaceans they are very good.

Some of the best fishing I have found in Turkiye is in Kusadasi. The best secret spot and is about 100 meters south of Kusadasi Castle on "bird" or "pigeon" Island depending on who you talk to. This spot is a secret so keep it to yourself.

BTW, when you are fishing "rascale" is the word of the day. It either means "good luck fishing" or "what is that big stick for?". LOL, some areas of Turkey still don't use rod and reel, and besides lugging fishing rods and tackle can be a pain.

Just so you know some of the best fish dinners I have ever had was cipura cooked on the boat, on the way back to shore.

Hamsi? I usually don't eat bait, but I will have to give it a try next time.

OK, I did leave out about the Tuna ranchers in Turkey, but I am assuming by fish it meant with nets and hooks, and besides most aquafarms are for export!

Answer 2

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Black Sea inland sea, c.159,600 sq mi (413,360 sq km), between SE Europe and Asia, connected with the Mediterranean Sea by the Bosporus, the Sea of Marmara, and the Dardanelles. It is c.750 mi (1,210 km) from east to west, up to 350 mi (560 km) wide, and has a maximum depth of 7,364 ft (2,245 m). Its largest arm is the Sea of Azov, which joins it through the Kerch Strait. The Black Sea is enclosed by Ukraine on the north, Russia on the northeast, Georgia on the east, Turkey on the south, and Bulgaria and Romania on the west. The Dnieper, Southern Buh, Dniester, and Danube rivers are its principal feeders; the Don and Kuban rivers flow into the Sea of Azov. The rivers flowing into the northern part of the Black Sea carry much silt and form deltas, sandbars, and lagoons along the generally low and sandy northern coast. The southern coast is steep and rocky. The Black Sea has two layers of water of different densities. The heavily saline bottom layer has little movement and contains hydrogen sulfide; it has no marine life. The top layer, much less saline and richer in fish, flows in a counterclockwise direction around the sea. There is little tidal action. Pollution in the Black Sea has spurred surrounding nations to cooperate in instituting environmental safeguards. The sea is subject to severe winter storms, and waterspouts are common in summer. Ice-free, it is the chief shipping outlet of the Ukraine and Russia; Odessa and Sevastopol in Ukraine and Novorossiysk in Russia are major ports. Other important ports are Constanţa in Romania; Varna and Burgas in Bulgaria; and Trabzon, Samsun, and Zonguldak in Turkey. The Black Sea region, especially in the S Crimea and W Caucasus, is a popular resort area. History The Black Sea was once part of a larger body that included the Caspian and Aral seas. In the Tertiary period, it was separated from the Caspian Sea and was linked to the Mediterranean Sea. Evidence suggests that more recently, about 7,600 years ago, at the end of a long dry period, it was flooded when the Mediterranean, having again become separate, broke through at the Bosporus, an event that may have scattered farmers from its shores into Europe and Asia. Some scientists have hypothesized that this event happened catastrophically and is the source of the biblical story of the Deluge. The Pontus Euxinus [hospitable sea] of the ancients, the Black Sea was navigated and its shores colonized by the Greeks (8th—6th cent. ) and later by the Romans (3d—1st cent. ). Its importance increased with the founding of Constantinople ( 330). In the 13th cent. the Genoese established colonies on the Black Sea, and from the 15th to the 18th cent. it was a Turkish "lake." The rise of Russia led to protracted dispute with the Ottoman Empire over control and use of the Bosporus and Dardanelles. In 1783, Russia annexed the Tatar Khanate of Crimea, which blocked its access to the sea, but the Treaty of Paris, which ended the Crimean War of 1856, frustrated Russia's expansionist ambitions, and Russia and its successor, the Soviet Union, retained limited influence in the region. In 1992, after the breakup of the Soviet Union, the Black Sea Economic Cooperation was established by nations surrounding the sea; it became a formal international organization in 1998. The six nations bordering the sea established the Black Sea Naval Cooperation Task Group in 2001 to promote cooperation on naval and environmental issues.

Answer 3

Let me tell you what we prefer:

My favorites are anchovies and horse mackerel (says Redhouse dictionary). Also, palamut, çupra (or, if you believe Redhouse, bonito and gilt-head bream) are preferred.

Edit: Just pray you don't have to run away from war and famine, and fall into the hands of people just like you, carmelo. You speak as if those people are coming to your country for the sun and the beach! You are so not funny!

Answer 4

In Turkey you'll find 166 fresh water species
haddock, cod fish, trout, salmon, pollack,tunny, sardine,anchovy and many more - all of them served locally

Answer 5

It is anchovies - Hamsi, the best tasting fish in the world..

There are also other types of sea fish but Hamsi tops them all..

Check out for more info:

http://forum.kusadasi.biz/thread1938.html





Carmelo....... 60 of these poor and less fortunate people died in a sea accident today in Aegean Sea.. but I don't think would you care, do you?

Answer 6

sea bass
bream
anchovy (especially in Black Sea)
grey mullet
bluefish (especially in Marmara)

I'm fish illeterate but these are the most common fish in our seas. I'm sure there are many more, we're surrounded by three seas!

Answer 7

They were catching some sort of Sea Bass when I was there in October.

Answer 8

Hamsi'dur da :)

Engraulis encrasicolus

Answer 9

Well there is more ! it is called Iraqi or afganistani or Pakistani or Somali and they are swimming towards Greece !! Ha Ha ! But i prefer the other mentioned above !