Turkish fishermen battle waves to deliver tuna to Aegean
IZMIR
A fleet of Turkish fishermen has completed the arduous task of transporting live bluefin tuna from international waters in the Mediterranean to the western city of İzmir, navigating rough seas and a particularly narrow and shallow strait along the way.
The fishermen caught the tuna in international waters between Malta and Tunisia, under quotas set by the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT).
After transferring them alive into large towing cages, they began a slow and steady 30- to 35-day journey toward Türkiye’s Aegean coast.
To protect the health of the fish during the journey, the cages were pulled at a constant speed, with the towing vessels running non-stop throughout the trip.
The team faced various challenges, including high winds, strong currents and waves reaching up to two meters in height.
One of the most difficult points of the route was the Çeşme Strait, where the water depth drops to just 15–16 meters, significantly less than the 25-meter depth of the fish cages.
To prevent the nets from dragging on the seabed and getting damaged, divers installed underwater lift bags to raise the bottom of the cages, ensuring a safe passage.
Eventually, the tuna eventually arrived at Gerence Bay in the city’s Urla district, where they will continue to be raised until the end of the year.
Hasan Yılmaz, a local tuna farm manager, said the fishing season, which began on May 25, was tough due to weather but productive overall.
“We're seeing an increase in tuna stock in the wild,” he noted. “Thanks to ICCAT quotas, fishing has become more regulated, and the populations are recovering. This year, the schools were larger and more active, which made the catching process somewhat easier.”
Yılmaz described the passage through the Çeşme Strait as the most demanding part of the journey.
"We use underwater lift bags to raise the nets. If they drag, there’s a high risk of tearing or losing the fish, which we absolutely want to avoid,” he explained.
Mustafa Pars, one of the captains who departed from the Armutlu district in the northwestern city of Yalova on May 14, shared how physically demanding the voyage was.
“We’ve been at sea for over a month, about 32 to 33 days,” he said. “You spend two months in a 20-square-meter cabin. This is my sixth season.”
Weather conditions have been harsher in recent years, according to Pars, pointing to the damaging effect of climate change.
The voyage not only highlights the logistical and environmental challenges of live tuna transport but also reflects the intricate balance between sustainable fishing practices and high-end global demand, particularly from Japan, where bluefin tuna is prized for use in sushi.
