I caught a kingfish in the Turkish sea for the first time and ate it thinking it was a bonito.
Inhabits tropical ocean waters
The fishermen then gifted the fish to a friend, whose image was shared by Akdeniz University (AÜ) Fisheries Faculty Prof. Dr. Mehmet Gökül, who shared it with Prof. Dr. Mehmet Gökül. Examining the image, Prof. Dr. Gökül determined that the fish was the first species encountered in Turkish waters. Providing information about a species known as yellowtail amberjack, Prof. Dr. Gökül said the species lives in dense populations in tropical areas close to the equator and was previously observed in the Mediterranean Sea off Italy in 2005 and in Lebanon in January last year.
First sighting in Turkish waters
“This kind of sea fish is a predatory fish that lives in clean shallow waters. This is the first time I’ve seen a yellowtail amberjack in Turkey. A fisherman off the coast of Kemer caught this fish with a fishing rod attached to a fake,” said Prof. Dr. Gökül. He noted that the fish is recorded as a very rare species in the Mediterranean Sea and that “the variety of fish is increasing in the Gulf of Antalya.”
He ate his friend
“We used a lure to catch the fish on the surface of the water. After eight minutes of effort with the fishing rod, we brought it to the boat. My friends and I were very excited,” said Ersin Karakas, who caught the fish. “We caught a big fish, so we gave it to our friends as a gift, thinking we had caught a bonito. This fish was caught for the first time in Turkey,” he said.
