Rosatom Held Third International Fishing Tournament

Rosatom Held Third International Fishing Tournament

The competition, which brought together representatives of seven countries, has been held in Türkiye for the first time
Press release
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On October 21–22 in the province of Mersin (Türkiye), the third International Fishing Tournament organized by Rosatom was held in the immediate vicinity of the construction site of the Akkuyu NPP (the first nuclear power plant to be built in the Republic of Türkiye).

The tournament was attended by 14 fishing enthusiasts, as well as journalists and representatives of the expert community fr om seven Rosatom partner countries implementing or planning nuclear power projects: Hungary, Egypt, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, South Africa, Türkiye and Indonesia. Radiation monitoring specialists from Akkuyu Nuclear JSC also participated in the event. During the weighting procedure, they measured radiation doses in the caught fish with the help of special equipment, confirming their safety.

The winner of the tournament was the team from Hungary rising to the top with the largest catch. The second and third places were taken by teams from Indonesia and Egypt. The prize in the Biggest Fish category went to the team from Uzbekistan.

"The International Fishing Tournament is an opportunity to demonstrate our respect for nature while implementing large-scale nuclear power projects. It is important for us that representatives of partner countries see with their own eyes our responsible approach to ecosystem conservation. The tournament also allows us to show that the development of infrastructure around the NPP is turning the region into a comfortable place for life, recreation and tourism, creating new opportunities for several generations of local residents. Such events help build trust in nuclear power and prove that it can underpin the green energy mix of the future," said Alexandra Yustus, Deputy Director General for Communications at Rosatom International Network Private Institution.

"The International Fishing Tournament in the Akkuyu NPP construction region demonstrates the openness of the project to the public and confirms the safety of the NPP construction for the region's ecosystem. We organize annual regional competitions for Turkish fishers, and this year we were pleased to welcome international competitors at the site. Holding the tournament on a regular basis shows that the nuclear power plant is being built in compliance with high environmental standards and has no impact on the environment. It is also important that the tournament helps guests from other countries discover the Mersin province, attracting attention to its unique nature and history, as well as increasing the recognition of the region wh ere the project to build the first nuclear power plant in Türkiye is being implemented," said Sergei Butskikh, Director General of Akkuyu Nuclear JSC.

"I will remember this tournament for the rest of my life, I am happy to be its winner and grateful to Rosatom for organizing such a great event. I was also pleased to see how the Akkuyu NPP construction region lives and develops. I hope that I will get to this paradise once again," commented Laszlo Kern, a competitor on the Hungarian team.

As part of the event program, the Akkuyu Nuclear JSC team organized a visit to Akkuyu NPP under construction for the tournament participants. The guests visited the Eastern Marine Cargo Terminal receiving large-sized equipment; Türkiye's first training center for NPP operating personnel and its full-scale simulator; and also talked to Turkish engineers who completed the targeted program to train personnel for the future NPP. In addition, a rich cultural program was organized for the guests, including visits to historical sites, as well as exploring the diversity of flora and fauna in the Akkuyu NPP construction region.

The International Fishing Tournament is a regular Rosatom awareness-raising event that brings together fishing enthusiasts, media representatives and experts from different countries. The competitions are held in the water area of operating nuclear power facilities and are designed to demonstrate the safety of nuclear power for the environment, including the flora and fauna of water bodies near nuclear power plants. Two previous tournaments were held near the Leningrad NPP; in 2025, the competition has been held outside Russia for the first time.

The Akkuyu NPP is the first nuclear power plant under construction in the Republic of Türkiye. The Akkuyu NPP project consists of four power units with Russian-designed VVER Generation III+ reactors. The capacity of each power unit will be 1200 MW. The construction of the Akkuyu NPP is the first project in the global nuclear industry being implemented based on the Build-Own-Operate model. On April 27, 2023, the Akkuyu NPP construction site became an operational nuclear facility according to the IAEA classification during the ceremony dedicated to the delivery of the first batch of nuclear fuel for Unit 1. This historic event signifies the entry of the Republic of Türkiye into the community of countries developing nuclear generation technologies on their territories.

Russia is actively fostering cooperation with every nation interested. Many large-scale international projects are in progress. Rosatom and its divisions are active contributors to these activities.

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