Heading North A Seasonal Journey
As the fishing season persists, fishermen across Turkey embark on maritime adventures, trying their luck in the bountiful seas. With the onset of summer, they bid farewell to the Mediterranean, the Aegean, and the Marmara, setting course for the cooler and nutrient-rich waters of the Black Sea. Much like their terrestrial counterparts, fish in these northern waters migrate to the highlands, where they feast throughout the summer. As autumn approaches, the aquatic journey begins, and schools of fish sweep down the Bosphorus in a natural migration that has unfolded for millennia.
Sonar Surveillance and Migration Interruption
However, a modern challenge has emerged at the entrance of the Black Sea into the Bosphorus. Fishermen equipped with giant sonar devices lie in wait, disrupting the traditional migration pattern by intercepting fish before they enter the strait Fish and Istanbul. This interruption interferes with the natural ebb and flow of fish populations, a phenomenon integral to the region’s history.
Migration Chronicles in ‘Fish and Fishing’
Karekin Deveciyan, an employee in the Chief Inspectorate of Fishing in the Istanbul Central Department of Fish Markets, penned the first comprehensive book on fish and fishing in Turkish history, titled ‘Fish and Fishing.’ In this historical account, Deveciyan describes the ancient migration patterns of Black Sea fish. Traditionally, as winter approached, fish such as bonito would leave the Black Sea’s shallower waters, commencing a month-long journey through the Bosphorus. Subsequent waves of larger bonito and Atlantic mackerel followed in a sequential order Guided Istanbul Tours. This natural cycle sustained for centuries, constituting an essential part of Istanbul’s aquatic ecosystem.
Disrupting Centuries-Old Patterns
Today, the once-natural process has been disrupted, with sonar-equipped fishermen altering the historical migration patterns. The intervention prevents the organic flow of fish through the Bosphorus, marking a departure from centuries of harmonious coexistence between marine life and the inhabitants of Istanbul.
