24 November 2009 / İSMAİL ÇITAK , İSTANBUL
Large schools of fish appearing with the approach of cold weather has pleased both fishermen and consumers in İstanbul. A drop in the per-kilogram price of bluefin tuna from around TL 10 to TL 2 has made buyers happy and increased business in İstanbul’s fish markets.
Fishermen have been feeling optimistic about the new season since the end of the previous one on Sept. 1. Noting that prices were initially high due to the limited amount of fish being caught, fishermen said more fish were filling their nets because of the cold weather, causing prices to drop and pleasing consumers.Fishermen troll open waters to bring in fresh, cheap fish for consumers who they say should buy the large amounts of bluefin tuna they catch while it is still fresh and before it’s sent to cold storage. Consumers tend to think the drop in prices means the fish are old, but the low prices stem from the abundance of fish.
İstanbul Sea Products Commission Agents Association (İSKOMDER) Chairman Mahmut Uçan said the weather prior to the new season had been very favorable for fish to spawn, which is why they had expected a plentiful supply this year. Uçan was pleased that consumers were able to take of advantage of the low prices.
