Bio-economic indicators of fisheries: impact of variations in landings and fish size on market prices in Istanbul Fish Market

Abstract

Fisheries are of immense importance to Mediterranean countries, for protein, employment and livelihoods. Studies addressing the factors affecting fish price dynamics are of interest to examine their drivers as prices often dictate target fisheries. This study investigates fish market prices in relation to landings and fish sizes from Türkiye’s largest fish market in Istanbul as the study site. A total of 39 wild marine taxa were examined for their landed catch (kg) and average prices (per unit/TRY) from 2006 to 2019. We found fish prices increased from small pelagic to medium pelagic to demersal fish. GAM model results for inter-species tests showed a strong positive effect of local maximum length (p < 0.01) and a weaker positive effect of trophic level and vulnerability (p < 0.1) on fish market price, but that landings amounts have no significant effect as a single predictor. Monthly price variations of bluefish and bonito were completely different than other species dynamics, as the last substantial commercial medium pelagic fish species left; highest monthly prices were related to the highest monthly landings for bonito and for the non-closure period for bluefish. Market prices as economic indicators for fisheries may have the potential to reveal ecosystem variations as well as socioeconomic drivers. Databases including extensive data for key fish sales centers can be used to help understand fishery dynamics from an ecosystem perspective, especially for data-poor regions like Türkiye.