Bluefish season: which sea, and when does it start?

“When does bluefish start?” has no single answer — because the answer changes with which sea you are on. The sea-by-sea peak data in our catalog says this:

So the season opens from south to north and closes later in the north. The movement that starts in the Sea of Marmara at the end of August reaches the Black Sea coast in September.

Bait and technique

The picture is the same in all four seas: among natural baits Atlantic horse mackerel stands out, among lures the minnow. The supporting regional baits change — European anchovy in the Sea of Marmara and the Black Sea, European sardine in the Aegean and the Mediterranean.

As for technique, spinning, trolling and the bait rig are all three in use. Evening twilight and the night are markedly more productive than daytime.

Minimum size: 18 cm

The minimum size for bluefish in recreational fishing is 18 cm. Individuals below that limit are returned to the sea.

Legal basis: Communiqué No. 6/2, Article 15 – Table 7.

There is no separately defined closed season entry for bluefish; the general provisions apply.

Snapper bluefish is not a separate species

Snapper bluefish is the young form of the bluefish — not a different fish. The size ladder is commonly named like this: defne yaprağı, çinekop, sarıkanat, lüfer, kofana. The legal size limit is applied in centimeters, independently of that naming.

The size and season information is taken from the communiqué of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. The communiqué can change; for definite information consult the text in force.