With the lifting of the fishing ban in Lake Eğirdir, crayfish fishing has begun. Fishermen have set out on the lake to catch crayfish following the ban on turbot fishing in Lake Eğirdir, which accounts for 20 percent of Turkey’s 490-ton crayfish production.
The 8-month ban on crayfish hunting in Lake Eğirdir, Isparta, ended on July 1st to strengthen the crayfish stocks and to ensure more abundant and profitable hunting in the new hunting season.
In the morning, fishermen who are members of the Eğirdir Central Fisheries Cooperative bring the crates they brought with them to the cooperative center after sailing on the lake with their boats. Here, crayfish over 10.5 centimeters in length are taken, put back into crates and sent to factories that will export them.
Stating that there was an abundance of crayfish this year, SS Eğirdir Central Fisheries Cooperative President Ayhan Küçükköse said, “Our 2024 crayfish season has opened as of July 1. Right now, our crayfish in Lake Eğirdir looks very good. We are getting crayfish over 10.5 centimeters. We get the crayfish from our cooperative members, first do a selection process here and then send them to the factory. There are 450 boats in Lake Eğirdir, and nearly 1,000 families earn their living from crayfish.”
“IT IS SOLD FOR 135 TL PER KILO”
Küçükköse said, “One of our hunters catches crayfish weighing approximately 40-60 kilograms. We pay 135 TL per kilogram.”
Stating that Lake Eğirdir has retreated approximately 4 meters due to climate change in recent years and that there is excessive grazing on the lake, Fishermen’s Cooperative President Küçükköse said, “There has been a drought in Lake Eğirdir in recent years due to the climate. Our rainfall is very little. 6 years ago, there was always water here. But now it has retreated 4 meters. There is excessive grazing on the lake due to the shallowing of the waters. Our hunters are also victims of this situation. Because our crayfish catchers are not sitting and our boats are in a position where they cannot move in some areas.”
Ayşen Binatlı, who is from one of the well-established families of Eğirdir and has been engaged in fishing since she was 8 years old, said, “I have been fishing with my father since I was 8 years old. Now I am fishing with my husband. I support my husband and we earn money together.”
SS Eğirdir Central Fisheries Cooperative Vice President İbrahim Sayı, who has been engaged in fishing in Eğirdir for 35 years and earns his living from Lake Eğirdir, said, “May our product be plentiful and all our hunters be in abundance.”
Sayı said, “Our crayfish season has started as of July 1st. Our product is abundant. May all our hunters be blessed. Our crayfish above 10.5 centimeters are taken, and the crayfish below this size are released into the lake to grow again. I wish it to be a good season.”
