STORY: Fishing boom in NW Türkiye brings record catches, revenues for fishermen
SHOOTING TIME: Recent footage 
DATELINE: Feb. 13, 2025
LENGTH: 00:03:03
LOCATION: IGNEADA, Türkiye
CATEGORY: SOCIETY

SHOTLIST:
1. various of fishing boats in the harbor in Igneada district of Kirklareli province
2. various of captain Sinan Girit
3. SOUNDBITE 1 (Turkish): SINAN GIRIT, Fisherman
4. SOUNDBITE 2 (Turkish): SINAN GIRIT, Fisherman
5. various of Enver Sanli, president of the Fisheries Cooperative in Igneada
6. SOUNDBITE 3 (Turkish): ENVER SANLI, President of Fisheries Cooperative in Igneada
7. SOUNDBITE 4 (Turkish): ENVER SANLI, President of Fisheries Cooperative in Igneada
8. various of fishing boat in the Black Sea, Türkiye
9. various of Altug Erdem, mayor of Igneada
10. SOUNDBITE 5 (Turkish): ALTUG ERDEM, Mayor of Igneada
11. various of Igneada district of Kirklareli province, Türkiye

STORYLINE:

As the first light of dawn bathes the tranquil waters of Igneada, a town in the northwestern Turkish province of Kirklareli, Captain Sinan Girit stands at the helm of his fishing vessel, eyes fixed on the horizon.

Schools of fish have been detected by sonar just 15 miles inside Bulgarian waters. Within hours, or by the next day, they will cross into Turkish territory, where Girit expects a bountiful catch.

Nestled along Türkiye's Black Sea coast, Igneada has long been a key waypoint for migratory fish from the waters of Ukraine, Romania, and Bulgaria.

Local fish species such as anchovies, mackerels, bonitos, and red mullets thrive here, making the region crucial not only for local fishermen like Girit but also for Türkiye's fishing industry.

SOUNDBITE 1 (Turkish): SINAN GIRIT, Fisherman
"This year, the sea has been exceptionally generous. We're seeing 10 times more mackerels and anchovies (compared to previous years)."

The fishing boom has attracted boats from across the country, including from the Mediterranean coast. "The catch is then distributed throughout Türkiye," Girit explained.

The challenge now is getting the catch to markets across the country -- a process fishers have mastered over the years.

SOUNDBITE 2 (Turkish): SINAN GIRIT, Fisherman
"We can ship our catch anywhere in Türkiye, as we manage all the deliveries, Ankara, Izmir, and other cities. You've probably seen the refrigerated trucks (some of them wait along the coast, lined up on the roadside, while others are at the port) handling shipments to keep everything fresh."

The abundant catch has had a profound local impact. Enver Sanli, president of the Fisheries Cooperative in Igneada, noted that the remarkable abundance of fish has led to a significant drop in prices, making seafood more affordable for consumers.

SOUNDBITE 3 (Turkish): ENVER SANLI, President of Fisheries Cooperative in Igneada
"An astonishing 6 million kilos of fish were caught in just one week or three to five days. The bonito season was fantastic, with plenty of horse mackerels, red mullets, small bluefish, and anchovies."

SOUNDBITE 4 (Turkish): ENVER SANLI, President of Fisheries Cooperative in Igneada
"There was maybe five times more, or even six or 10 times more fish than last year. This year, Tekirdag, (a nearby province along the shores of the Marmara Sea) saw an abundance of fish. There was an abundance of bluefish. I fish with my own trolling boat. However, there were plenty of mackerels here, for example. Some of my friends couldn't even load the mackerels. We heard in Kiyikoy, a nearby town, that a fisher's boat sank due to the high number of mackerels. Can you imagine? It sank because of the number of fish."

For Sanli, who also owns a fishing boat, the revenue has been 10 times higher than last year, but he noted that rising operational costs, especially fuel, remain a major challenge. His daily fuel costs are 13,000 Turkish liras (about 360 U.S. dollars).

According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Türkiye harvested 454,059 tons of aquatic products in 2023, a significant rise from 302,212 tons in 2014. While official data for 2024 has not yet been released, sector insiders predict that the numbers will continue to climb in 2024 and 2025 given the current abundance of fish.

Altug Erdem, mayor of Igneada, emphasized the broader benefits of the successful fishing season for the local economy and community.

SOUNDBITE 5 (Turkish): ALTUG ERDEM, Mayor of Igneada
"The boom in fishing has provided essential food resources and created job opportunities, especially for local workers unloading the catch. From grocery stores to restaurants and taxi services, local businesses have felt the economic boost during the traditionally slow winter months."

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Igneada, Türkiye.
(XHTV)