27.12.2025 12:45
In 2011, the Çekerek Süreyyabey Dam, where water began to be stored, became a source of livelihood for the local people in the Çekerek district of Yozgat. Fishermen, who catch fish using nets from boats, supply the local market and also engage in salmon farming at five different facilities. The fish that are raised are sent to Samsun, and after being processed into salmon, they are exported to various countries, primarily Russia and Japan.
In Yozgat, located in the middle of the steppe without a coastline, between 2,000 and 4,000 tons of fish, primarily carp, river fish, and depending on the season, silver fish are raised annually in dams and ponds established for agricultural irrigation purposes.
Demands from countries such as England, France, the Netherlands, Russia, Japan, Iraq, Syria, and Iran are being met. This year, the salmon candidate fish produced alongside the domestic market are being processed into salmon in Samsun and sent to Russia and Japan.
THERE ARE 5 FACILITIES
The Yozgat Provincial Directorate of Agriculture and Forestry announced that the live trout harvests at the fish farming facilities operating in the Süreyyabey Dam in the Çekerek district are continuing under the supervision of technical personnel in 2025.
In the statement, it was said, "Live fish harvesting has been carried out in 5 different aquaculture facilities operating in our Çekerek district during November and December, and the harvested fish have been dispatched as Turkish salmon candidates to various marine aquaculture facilities located along the Black Sea coast. The processes are being monitored with an understanding of sustainable aquaculture production and effective resource management."
THE DAM CHANGED THE FATE OF THE REGION
After the dam, built for irrigation, energy, and flood control, began to hold water, fishing became one of the important sources of livelihood for the local people.
Adnan Yılmaz, a fish farmer who produces trout using a net cage system established on the dam and sends them as salmon to the Black Sea Region, stated that he has been producing trout at the dam since 2015, and that they send fish both domestically and internationally. He reported that due to the drought in the last two years, the fish population in areas where boat fishing is done has decreased compared to previous years.
"WE SEND THEM AS SALMON CANDIDATES TO THE BLACK SEA"
Fish farmer Adnan Yılmaz stated that he produces 225 tons of salmon candidate fish annually in his facility, and said:
"The fry we brought here in March and April are now being raised as trout weighing between 300-500 grams and 600 grams, and we send them to the Black Sea as salmon candidates. The foundation of Turkish salmon in the Black Sea is always said to be laid in inland waters. We are doing our best here to raise the best fish. Moreover, our salmon, which we insistently produce against those who say 'it cannot be done in the middle of the steppe' or 'there can be fish here,' is currently preferred by the highest quality companies in Turkey. Our dam and our fish are currently very well preferred. After being sent to the Black Sea, they adorn European tables at weights of 2.5 to 3.5 kilos, depending on the growth rates there."
"STARTED WITH 29 TONS, NOW REACHED 225 TONS AT THE DAM"
Yılmaz, who produced 29 tons of fish in the first years at his facility, stated that he currently raises 225 tons of fish and noted that he could further increase the capacity if permitted. Yılmaz said, "The fish we are currently raising and sending are going to the Black Sea as salmon candidates. Once they reach certain weights, they will be preferred to go to Japan and Russia. We started with 29 tons at the dam and have reached 225 tons. Our goal is to go higher, but if our government gives us this opportunity, we will do our best. We are currently operating at 225 tons. We refer to it as 225 tons per year. There is no limit to our goals."
RUSSIA AND JAPAN ARE THE BIGGEST BUYERS
Murat Akkaya, a company representative who came to Yozgat to buy salmon candidate fish from the fishery in the Perşembe district of Samsun, stated that they are currently trying to meet the demands of Russia and Japan. Akkaya said, "We came to Çekerek to buy fish from Mr. Adnan Yılmaz. These are live salmon candidates. We take these live salmon candidates to our branch in Perşembe, where we process them into 2 kilos, 3 kilos, and 3.5 kilos, and export them to Japan and Russia. How much is it? 2,000 tons, 1,500 tons, 3,000 tons. It varies by year. We also have Almus and Yozgat. We buy from wherever we can find good, quality young fish. We send them from Perşembe. Five trucks go to Russia weekly. We also send three containers to Japan weekly," he said.