Abstract The Malkoto Kale project aimed at a better understanding of the consequences of the colonization of Apollonia Pontica on the preexisting surrounding settlements. In 2020, opening again a trench excavated in 1973, we uncovered preserved archaeological contexts rich in faunal remains. The archaeozoological study undertaken on field provides the first published fish bones in an Early Iron Age context of the South-Western Black Sea shore. It brings to light the fishery practices of local population way before the arrival of Greek settlers in the area. As such, it is an important step for our understanding of EIA diet in the Balkan peninsula.