Commercially Important Marine Macroinvertebrates of the Turkish Seas
Ertan DAĞLI, A. Suat ATEŞ, Alper DOĞAN, A. Kerem BAKIR, Neslihan TÜRKÇÜ, Özge ÖZGEN, Seçil ACAR, İdil BÜTÜN, Tahir ÖZCAN
1Ege University, Faculty of Fisheries Department of Hydrobiology 35100 Bornova/İZMİR 2Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Faculty of Marine Sciences and Technology 17100 Çanakkale, Türkiye 3Programme of Marine Living Resources, Institute of Marine Sciences and Technology, Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir, 35330, Türkiye 4Iskenderun Technical University, Faculty of Marine Sciences and Technology 31200 İskenderun, Hatay, Türkiye
Abstract
This study identifies the economically important benthic invertebrate species occurring in the Turkish seas, evaluating their taxonomic distribution, utilization patterns, economic significance, conservation status, and the contribution of non-indigenous species based on an extensive literature review. A total of 93 economically valuable macro invertebrate species were documented along the Turkish coasts, comprising 40 Mollusca, 33 Crustacea, 6 Cnidaria, 5 Echinodermata, 5 Porifera, and 4 Polychaeta species. Geographically, the Aegean Sea and the Mediterranean Sea exhibited the highest species richness followed by the Sea of Marmara, whereas the Black Sea harboured comparatively fewer species. The primary utilization of these organisms is for human consumption, alongside secondary applications as live bait, aquaculture inputs, aquarium trade specimens, jewellery and ornamental materials, cosmetics, biotechnology products, and bioremediation agents. Mollusca and Crustacea represent the foundational groups for the Turkish fisheries sector regarding production volume and export value, whereas sea cucumbers, natural sponges, the red indigenous species -including Rapana venosa, Magallana gigas, Pinctada radiata, Sepioteuthis lessoniana, and Portunus segnis- have established themselves are economically viable resources in Turkish waters. Conversely, certain economically significant species, such as Corallium rubrum, Lithophaga lithophaga, Paracentrotus lividus, and commercially valuable marine sponge species, are protected under domestic and international conservation frameworks. Collectively, these findings underscore the substantial economic potential of Türkiye’s macro invertebrate resources while emphasizing the critical need for sustainable management, continuous monitoring, and effective conservation strategies to ensure their long-term utilization.
How to Cite
Ertan DAĞLI et al. (2026). Commercially Important Marine Macroinvertebrates of the Turkish Seas. MARFRESH – Journal of Marine and Freshwater Sciences, 1(1), 14–22.