The fisherman who cannot see the anchovy in the sea is worried.

This season in the Black Sea, while one of the most bountiful mackerel fishing seasons in recent years is being experienced, the same situation does not apply to anchovy fishing. Local fishermen, who have the experience of their ancestors saying “When mackerel is plentiful in the sea, there will be no anchovy,” hope that anchovies will appear with the cooling of the seawater.

Ahmet Mutlu, the President of the Eastern Black Sea Fishermen’s Cooperatives Union, stated that there are widespread rumors that mackerel eats anchovies and noted that they are waiting for the seawater to cool for anchovies. Mutlu said, “Looking at the last twenty years, we are experiencing days when fishermen cannot go to sea for 5 consecutive days. We have thoughts that the seawater needs to cool down as soon as possible for anchovies. Currently, we have learned that mackerel is good in Hopa, Tirebolu, and Zonguldak after the weather cleared. Our prediction is that mackerel seems to continue for a while longer. Generally, there is a rumor among the public that mackerel eats anchovy. Authorities can make the scientific explanation, but in the end, it is a pelagic fish. Since it remains in the sea, it means it is eating something and feeding. We hope that this does not mean there will be no anchovy. Right now, the absence of anchovies is slowly raising our concerns. We hope that in a few days anchovy will also emerge,” he said.

Mutlu expressed that they have received information that anchovy is seen in certain regions, stating, “There is a slight cooling in the waters. We are getting information from friends in Reis; some say there is a mass presence of anchovy in certain regions. In the end, we hope that mackerel is not feeding on anchovy. I hope that there will be anchovy too. Because as the weather gets colder, it will be a little later; the later it is, the better it will be for us. Because the weather cools a little more. Our hope is that the weather cools down as soon as possible and anchovy emerges. Ultimately, the continuation of mackerel is also a separate benefit for us. In the last two years, looking at last year and this year, we see that mackerel would come and migrate, then return. Now it is only giving a catch in certain regions. Last year, it was yielding a catch in the Ereğli, Zonguldak region. Today, it is predominantly yielding a catch in the Eastern Black Sea. In other words, fish surprises us too,” he said.

Mutlu stated that this season mackerel has filled the void of anchovy, saying, “Our concern is that anchovy has completed its migration in 1-1.5 months in recent years. Hopefully, this will last 2-3 months and we will have a good fishing season. We used to start with horse mackerel, and now mackerel has filled that void. Hopefully, with the cooling of the weather, the emergence of anchovy will please us, satisfy our fishermen, and please the citizens.”