Salmon, which was recently farmed for the first time in Korea, is gaining popularity in the market. (Image : Yonhap)
GOSEONG, Dec.17 (Korea Bizwire) – Salmon, which was recently farmed for the first time in Korea, is gaining popularity in the market.
According to Donghae STF, a fish farming company, farmed salmon distributed once or twice a week since November 9 has been met with positive reactions from consumers.
The salmon distributed by Donghae STF was raised at sea using hatched salmon eggs brought from Canada.
Company officials say that orders have been flooding in, making it difficult to meet demand. Considering the situation, Donghae STF plans to supply 600 tons by the end of next year, with plans to supply 1,000 to 2,000 tons every year moving forward.
Officials also explained that the salmon farming operations are drawing much attention from abroad, with the ambassador of Norway paying a visit to the salmon farm. Officials from China, Malaysia and Indonesia have also visited.
Donghae STF is farming salmon in a large enclosed net five kilometers from Bongpori at Goseong. The depth of the water is 85 to 90 meters. The company uses special technologies to control the depth of the net as the water temperature changes with the seasons.
Currently, 98 percent of the salmon consumed in Korea is from Norway. As the fish is in the spotlight as one of the ‘super foods’, 25,000 tons are imported every year. However, now that farming salmon is possible, the industry set a goal to substitute all salmon imports by 2020.
Attempts have also been made to farm tuna since 2006. Currently, 1,400 young tuna fish are bring raised in a tank on Jeju Island. They are expected to be mature and ready for the market in four years.
Catching a young tuna at sea and raising it until it lays eggs is the technology that made tuna farming possible. It is the second success in the world after Japan.
If fertilized eggs can be continuously provided, and tuna are raised with stability, by 2018 farmed tuna weighing over 30 kilograms could easily be provided to households.
However, as good as the results might be, there are many risks. After typhoon Boleven hit Jeju, hundreds of tuna that were raised to 70 kilograms were killed, causing losses worth billions of won.
Even so, officials from the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries comment that the successful research into farming tuna, which is a high value product, showed the future possibilities of Korean fisheries.
By Francine Jung (francine.jung@kobizmedia.co.kr)
