Photo: Stockfile/FIS

Squid fishing in Korea has decreased significantly

SOUTH KOREA
Thursday, December 14, 2023, 07:00 (GMT + 9)

Squid is the mainstay product of South Korea's east coast fishery and one of the most consumed aquatic products in South Korea. However, as the sea water warms, squid in South Korea's offshore waters gradually migrate north, squid resources have plummeted, and squid fishing has dropped significantly, resulting in a serious situation for South Korea's fishery, especially the squid fishing industry.

In the first 10 months of this year, South Korea’s domestic squid catch barely exceeded 20,000 tons. In November alone, South Korea's domestic squid production was less than half of the same period last year.

Minister of Oceans and Fisheries Cho Seung-hwan emphasized the economic burden placed on fishermen by the sharp decline in catches. The fishery has a monthly deficit of approximately 30 million won due to fixed costs such as labor and interest.

The situation is more serious on the east coast of Gangwon Province and North Gyeongsang Province, the main squid producing areas. In the early 2000s, the squid catch in Gangwon Province was about 20,000 tons, but it dropped from 9,846 tons in 2014 to 3,504 tons last year, and the catch in November this year was only 1,286 tons. The annual catch in Gyeongsuk-do was as high as 50,000 tons until 2018, but it dropped to about 3,000 tons last year and only 2,000 tons this year (November).

Local fishermen say the once- iconic squid is no longer an East Coast staple. “Today, there are more octopuses than squid,” said Hwang Gwang-seok, president of the Geojin Longline Association, a regional fishery association in Gangwon Province.

This difference is especially noticeable in the summer. In July, fishermen in the East China Sea caught 64 tons of squid and 174 tons of octopus. In August, the squid catch was only half of the octopus catch. President Huang said he caught dozens of kilograms of octopus when he went out. The day's catch can easily exceed 100 kilograms as he catches larger octopuses weighing over 15 kilograms (33 pounds).

Fishermen who once relied on squid are turning to octopus. The number of dedicated octopus boats has tripled in the past decade, with more than 350 in Goseong County, Gangwon Province alone.

Most local fishermen support the switch to octopus because it is cheaper to catch than squid. Octopus boats are smaller, weighing less than 2 tons, and are therefore cheaper. The smallest squid fishing boat weighs 9.77 tons, and the larger one can reach about 60 tons.

The docks are becoming overcrowded due to the proliferation of octopus boats. The Donghae Regional Ocean and Fisheries Office had to spend 12.4 billion won to build additional docks for small vessels and strengthen seawalls at Daejin and Gonghyeonjin ports.

On the contrary, the number of squid fishing boats is decreasing. In 1997, the number of squid fishing boats peaked at 942 boats, and now only 404 boats are still in operation. But as catches plummet, more and more fishermen are giving up fishing. There are 54 fishing boats in Guryongpo Port in North Gyeongsang Province, but most of them have stopped fishing for more than three months. Boat owners said, “If we sail without catching squid, we will only suffer losses."

The decline in squid catches is due to rising water temperatures and overfishing. According to the "2023 Climate Change Research and Fisheries Sector Impact Report" released by the National Institute of Fisheries Science, in the 55 years from 1968 to 2022, the average annual increase rate of surface water temperature in North Korean waters was 1.36 degrees, which is higher than the world average growth rate (0.52 degrees ) is 2.5 times higher. The temperature on the east coast was 1.82 degrees, higher than the domestic average. Dr. Kim Jung-jin of the National Institute of Fisheries Science said, "The optimal water temperature for squid is 15 to 20 degrees, but as the water temperature on the east coast rises, the squid groups are moving north." He added, "Going south to Ulleungdo and other places Squid that spawn in the wild are also being caught indiscriminately in North Korean waters. Fishing grounds are being destroyed," he said. 

As squid catches declined, squid prices soared, earning it the nickname "golden squid." The price of domestically produced live squid increased by 42.1% month-on-month, further exacerbating the economic challenges faced by consumers and fishermen.

The "November Price Trend" of the Korea Price Association shows that the price of domestically produced live (large) squid is 11,950 won per piece, an increase of 42.1% from 8,410 won last month. The transaction price of domestic frozen squid (large) was also 5,670 won, an increase of 9.2% from 5,190 won in the previous month. Last month, in Gangwon Province, a box (20 pieces) of live squid was sold for 270,000 won, more than five times the price last year (50,000 won).

As the wholesale price of squid has increased, restaurant owners have also raised menu prices, but this has also caused tourists to reduce their consumption of squid dishes due to the high prices.

"I have never seen such high squid prices in 30 years. The catering industry takes almost no profit to sell the dishes. However, customers think these dishes are too expensive." Kang Mi-sun, who has been running a squid vendor for more than 30 years ) explain.

In response to the crisis, the government announced an emergency loan of 30 million won per fisherman for squid fishermen. The fishing cooperative will offer guarantees to fishermen who cannot afford the collateral, providing a glimmer of hope during this challenging time.

At the same time, in order to meet domestic demand, South Korea has increased the import of squid products. In the first half of this year, squid imports surged by more than 40% year-on-year. China, Peru and other countries and regions are the main suppliers of frozen squid.

Source: Zhejiang Zhoushan International Agricultural Products Trade Center (translated from original in chinese)

[email protected]
www.seafood.media

Print