Examination of the Fish Price Offered for Sale During 2012-2013 Fishing Season in Sinop, Turkey

Abstract

The aim of the study was to determine the monthly price distribution of the offered fish species for sale within the scope of information received from the centers engaged in the sale of retail fish during 2012-2013 fishing season in Sinop, Turkey. The enterprises were grouped as I (the most), II (middle) and III (the least) according to the sales volume and fish species. Each group was represented by two different fish enterprise and so a total of six separate enterprises were determined by purpose sampling method. During the study, sale prices and fish species were obtained twice every month at the same time of day. It was determined that anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus ponticus), horse mackerel (Trachurus trachurus), bluefish (Pomatomus saltatrix), atlantic bonito (Sarda sarda), twait shad (Alosa fallax nilotica), needlefish (Belone belone), mullet (Mugil cephalus), shi drum (Umbrina cirrosa), brown meagre (Sciana umbra), common two-banded seabream (Diplodus vulgaris), annular bream (Diplodus annularis), tub gurnard (Trigla lucerna), picarel (Maena smaris), turbot (Psetta maxima), red mullet (Mullus barbatus), whiting (Merlangus merlangus), scorpion fish (Scorpaena porcus), goby (Gobius niger) were offered for sale in fish markets. While the prices of higher economic valued fish species like anchovy, bluefish, atlantic bonito and turbot prices were different between the enterprises, the prices of horse mackerel, red mullet and whiting species were not different. When considering the fish prices based on years, the prices of horse mackerel, bluefish, atlantic bonito, red mullet and haddock during 2012-2013 years were close to the average price of 2008-2012 years and the prices of anchovy and turbot during 2012-2013 years were higher than the average price of 2008-2012 years in Sinop.