Türkiye aims to expand mussel farming and establish a “Turkish caviar” brand to become a major global producer of sturgeon and caviar, a senior Agriculture and Forestry Ministry official said.

Turgay Turkyilmaz, director general of fisheries and aquaculture, told Anadolu that the country’s record seafood production has translated into strong export growth.

Türkiye’s seafood production reached a record 1.037 million tons last year, with 627,000 tons coming from aquaculture and 410,000 tons from wild catch, he said.

Aquaculture now accounts for 60% of total production, reflecting the sector’s growing role, Turkyilmaz added.

Seafood exports totaled 288,000 tons worth $2.25 billion in 2025, generating a foreign trade surplus of nearly $1.9 billion, he said.

“The positive momentum has continued into 2026. In the first six months of this year, our exports increased 13% year-on-year to reach $1.1 billion. We aim to achieve at least $2.4 billion in seafood exports by the end of the year,” he said.

Turkish salmon drives export growth

Türkyılmaz said sea bream, sea bass, rainbow trout, Turkish salmon and bluefin tuna form the backbone of Türkiye’s seafood exports, with aquaculture products accounting for more than 80% of total shipments.

Türkiye exports seafood to more than 100 countries, he noted.

“Sea bream and sea bass hold a strong position in the European Union market. One of the biggest success stories in recent years has been Turkish salmon exports,” he said.

He added that Russia and East Asian countries have emerged as the main export markets for Turkish salmon.

Production of Turkish salmon has increased from just 5,000 tons in 2016 to 75,000 tons today, while export revenues have climbed to around $500 million out of the sector’s annual exports of $2.25 billion, he said.

He further said China is expected to become an increasingly important market after the two countries reached an agreement under their trade cooperation framework.

He also highlighted the Turkic states as key export destinations, adding that Turkish seafood exporters are active in markets ranging from the US to Canada.

“We aim to increase seafood exports to $3 billion by 2028,” he said.

Türkiye aims to expand mussel farming and promote a “Turkish caviar” brand globally, he added.

Climate change poses challenges

Turkyilmaz said rising sea temperatures, climate change, invasive species and marine mucilage continue to pose challenges to the sector.

However, he said the ministry is working to minimize their impact through science-based production planning, stricter inspections, sustainable fishing practices and modern aquaculture techniques.