Buying fish is a luxury now: People are just looking

Fish, which is the choice of citizens who cannot buy meat or chicken, has also received its share of the deepening economic crisis. Although the hunting season is opened fish prices have increased twice, compared to last year. Fishermen who complain about increasing costs, especially diesel, say, “Most fishermen cannot go out to sea due to high costs. People who come to the counter are also just looking. 6 out of 10 people leave without buying fish.”

Despite the hunting season, which opened on September 1, fish prices in the stalls doubled compared to last year.

Fishermen Sariyer, Besiktas and Kadıköy in Istanbul, who spoke to media, complained about the hikes.

FISHERMEN CANNOT GO OUT TO SEA

A fisherman who stated that he had been fishing since childhood, said that he had never come across a period when the cost of fish was so high before. Noting that his friends were afraid to go out to sea now, he said, “All fishermen should be at sea right now. But because of the increasing costs, they think ‘If I get out, I should fish one hundred percent’. Because of the high costs, most people cannot go to the sea.”

REFLECTING ON THE CONSUMER

Stating that the biggest concern of fishermen is the increasing diesel prices, a fisherman said, “There is a big difference compared to last year. In this case, prices have also increased. The fish that was sold for 50 TL last year is now 100 TL. This is reflected in the consumer,” he says.

Another fisherman said he had been fishing for 20 years, adding “Every year is worse than the previous year. But this year it’s much worse. Last year the prices were a little better. I don’t know how people will be able to buy the fish they see as an alternative in this crisis. Anybody who comes to the stalk just keeps looking. They all say ’Expensive’. We just talk to people a lot.”