16.10.2026 14:44
While Istanbul DEMBIR's call to suspend bonito fishing due to the price drop is being discussed, in the Pazar district of Rize, tons of bonito that were overfished and crushed and dumped into the harbor by boats caused marine pollution and a strong odor.
While the public repercussions continue over the Istanbul Province Seafood Hunters Producers Association (Istanbul DEMBİR) calling for a "temporary suspension of fishing" on the grounds that the abundance of bonito caused prices to drop and fishermen to suffer economic losses, grave news of environmental pollution came from the Pazar district of Rize. As a result of thousands of bonito caught beyond need and crushed during transport being dumped directly into the sea at the port, the coast was covered with dead fish, and local residents became unable to open their windows due to the heavy stench of rot.
THEY DUMPED THOUSANDS OF FISH INTO THE SEA
The incident occurred at the fishing port in Kirazlık Neighborhood of Rize's Pazar district. With the opening of the season, the abundantly caught bonito were brought to the shore by large boats and began to be put into crates. However, according to the claim, tons of bonito that did not fit in the crates due to overfishing and were crushed and burst during transport and stacking were dumped directly into the harbor by some large fishing boats.
THE PORT TURNED INTO A FISH GRAVEYARD
With the dumped fish rotting in a short time, Kirazlık Port almost turned into a fish graveyard. As hundreds of dead fish covering the sea surface spread an unbearable stench of rot around, the local people living in buildings near the port could no longer stand the smell. The fact that fish consumed as a source of health were polluting the seawater, and the odor spreading into the environment, began to threaten the health of the neighborhood residents.
"LARGE BOATS DUMP EXCESS FISH DIRECTLY INTO THE SEA"
Fisherman Temel Zaman, one of the port residents rebelling against the environmental pollution that occurred, called for increased inspections and expressed his reaction with these words: "Look at this disgrace. Let the Coast Guard Command come and deal not with small boats but with these large fishing operations and impose the necessary penalty. The port is in a terrible state, you can't get through the heavy stench. Large boats dump excess fish directly into the sea when it is crushed and bursts. Citizens cannot sleep in their homes at night because of this smell; the smell has filled even inside the buildings."