A large Pacific bluefin tuna, caught off the coast of Yeongdeok, North Gyeongsang Province, on July 8, is placed in front of the Ganggu Fisheries Cooperative auction house. (Photo provided by a reader)
SEOUL, Aug. 27 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea will establish a public-private task force this week to help commercialize Atlantic bluefin tuna, whose catch levels off the country’s east coast have soared in recent years due to warming seas, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries said on Tuesday.
The council, set to launch Tuesday in Pohang, will bring together officials from the ministry, local governments, the Korea Fisheries Resources Agency, and the National Federation of Fisheries Cooperatives. Its goal is to ensure fishermen benefit from the sudden boom in bluefin, once a rarity in Korean waters.
According to Statistics Korea, annual bluefin catches stood at just two to five tons in 2018 and 2019. By 2023, that number had surged to 173 tons, with another 168 tons recorded last year.
The task force will focus on improving handling methods such as bleeding, gutting, and flash-freezing, while also establishing standardized reporting and distribution systems.
“We hope this initiative translates into real income gains for fishermen,” said Hong Rae-hyung, head of fisheries policy at the ministry. “The government will continue efforts to support bluefin as a viable source of earnings.”
Ashley Song (ashley@koreabizwire.com)
