November 7, 2025 – Izmir/Black Sea, Turkey
Manufacturing Dominance in Aquaculture
Turkey (Türkiye) has successfully transformed its Fishery and Aquaculture sector into a major global Supplier of high-quality Seafood, including Fresh and Frozen Fish (Sea Bass, Sea Bream, Trout, and “Turkish Salmon”). Türkiye’s total aquaculture production has grown by over 800 percent in the last two decades, surpassing traditional capture fishing to become the main Sourcing source for seafood Exports.
- Export Scale: The Turkish aquatic products sector achieved 973.8 million dollars in Exports in the first half of 2025, on track to comfortably exceed the 2 billion dollar mark annually. The sector aims to surpass 2.5 billion dollars within the next three years.
- Key Products: The most valuable Exports are large Trout (marketed as Turkish Salmon), which grew by 17 percent in the first half of 2025, and Sea Bass and Sea Bream, making Turkey the largest Exporter of sea bass products globally.
- Trade Dynamics: Turkey’s key Trade partners are the EU (receiving about two-thirds of export volume, with Italy and Germany as major destinations) and Russia (receiving the majority of frozen salmon and trout Exports).
Logistics and Nearshoring for Perishables
The entire sector’s competitive edge relies on a sophisticated Cold Chain Logistics network, critical for Nearshoring fresh and chilled perishables.
- Cold Chain Investment: The cold storage market in Turkey is valued at 1.94 billion dollars in 2025 and is expanding rapidly (CAGR of over 7 percent). This robust infrastructure, including refrigerated transport and specialized cold storage facilities, is essential for ensuring Seafood maintains pharmaceutical-grade quality and safety from farm to shelf.
- EU Compliance and Traceability: Turkish Suppliers adhere to stringent international standards, including ASC (Aquaculture Stewardship Council) certification, which provides the necessary traceability and environmental assurances required by the demanding EU market.
Investment in Sustainability and Technology
Foreign Investment and domestic capital are highly focused on technological advancement and environmental sustainability in Aquaculture:
- Technological Upgrades: Investment is flowing into deep-sea aquaculture, Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS), and R&D for local, environmentally friendly feed alternatives to reduce reliance on imported fishmeal. The government actively supports new Investments in the cold storage sector under the Regional Investment Incentive scheme, offering tax breaks to Suppliers.
- Market Diversification: The growth of the hospitality and tourism sectors within Turkey / Türkiye also drives demand for high-quality Seafood, creating synergies for Suppliers while they diversify Exports to the Middle East and other new Trade markets (Internal Link: Fresh Produce: Tomato & Citrus Exports Face Climate Risk).
Next Steps for Global Buyers
For international food retailers, specialized seafood distributors, and processors, Turkey / Türkiye offers a premium, high-growth Sourcing base for Fresh and Frozen Seafood, backed by world-class Manufacturingand Logistics.
For expert guidance on Sourcing certified Sea Bass, Sea Bream, or Turkish Salmon Suppliers, and to evaluate Investment opportunities in Turkey’s rapidly expanding Aquaculture and cold chain Logistics sector, contact the experts at Burc Consulting.
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