The muscle lipid and fatty acid composition of carp, Cyprinus carpio in Beysehir Lake the largest freshwater lake in Turkey, was determined. Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) of carp, the most abundant fish species in Beysehir Lake, were found to be higher than those of saturated fatty acids (SFA) in spring, summer and autumn and also the monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) in spring and summer. Palmitic acid was the major SFA (14.6-16.6%) in all seasons. Oleic acid was identified as the major MUFA (15.1-20.3%). Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) was the major PUFA in summer and winter, whereas linoleic acid (LA) was the major PUFA in spring and autumn. The percentages of total ω3 fatty acid were higher than those of total ω6 fatty acid in the fatty acid composition of carp in winter. It was shown that the fatty acid composition in the muscle of carp was significantly influenced by feeding period and seasons. © 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.