The bonito festival is being celebrated at the Bandırma Fish Market.

In Bandırma Fish Market in Balıkesir, a veritable bonito festival is taking place.
The fish abundance continues in the seas, which saw a fishing ban lifted 53 days ago. In September, the average weight of the bonito was around 500 grams, but now, in mid-October, it has increased to 1200 grams each. The price of the larger bonitos has remained the same as in September.
Since the lifting of the fishing ban, bonitos have been consistently arriving at the Bandırma Fish Market for 53 days. Fishermen, who cast their nets into the sea with the opening of the fishing season, are bringing bonitos and little tunas to the Bandırma Fish Market.
While the variety of fish available for sale at the Bandırma Fish Market increases every day, an increase in the amount of fish caught is expected as the weather begins to cool down. Bonitos that weighed 500 grams on September 1 have now reached up to 1 kilogram.
Fisherman Barış Yıldız stated that there is an abundance of bonitos in the new season and that citizens are smiling. He mentioned that bonitos are the most commonly available fish at the stalls, and that citizens prefer the more affordable fish. Yıldız said, “In the Black Sea Region, the weather has been cool and stormy for the past few days, so boats have not been able to go out much. Therefore, the fish have migrated to the Sea of Marmara. A large influx of little tunas and bonitos is coming to the fish market. If this continues, prices will decrease. The price per bonito is between 200-175 lira, and prices have dropped to 150 lira. If the weather continues like this, it will drop even further. In September, one bonito was 500 grams, but now it has increased to 1 kilogram and 300 grams. Additionally, the price of little tuna is 500 lira, the price of striped bass is 400 lira, and sardines are waiting for buyers at 150 lira,” he said.
Yıldız added that they expect an increase in the variety of fish as the weather cools down.