Why Are 200kg 'Premium' Bluefin Tuna Being Released Back Into the Sea?

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Bluefin tuna, a popular premium fish for sashimi, are being caught in large numbers off the east coast recently. Despite many of these tuna weighing over 200kg, fishermen are releasing them back into the ocean.

Reporter Jo Jaegeun explains why.

[Reporter]

Fish have been caught in nets off the coast of Goseong, Gangwon Province.

Among the schools of mackerel and sardines, a massive fish can be seen—a bluefin tuna weighing over 200kg.

Recently, bluefin tuna have been frequently caught in set nets along the east coast.

While they were sold at auction until just a few days ago, they are now being released back into the sea as soon as they are caught.

This is because the catch quota has been exceeded.

Some are released alive, but others die from stress and end up being discarded.

[Han Hyung-gu / Captain of the set net boat Gado-ho: (To release them alive) we have to herd the fish to one side and cut the net. But if we cut the net, it is not only difficult for us to repair it, but the other fish we intended to catch also escape through the hole, so it is somewhat impossible.]

The catch limit for bluefin tuna is determined every two years by the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC), an international organization. South Korea was allocated 1,219 tons for this year.

This quota is distributed by region and vessel, but because so many bluefin tuna have been caught this year, most of the quota has already been exhausted.

[Hong Sung-il / Sales Manager, Gangneung Fisheries Cooperative: Compared to last year, the allocated volume has increased by about 33 tons, or three times, but we have exhausted the bluefin tuna quota one or two months earlier than before.]

Rising sea temperatures are cited as the cause for the increase in bluefin tuna.

Last summer, bluefin tuna larvae measuring 4–5mm in length were discovered for the first time in Goseong, Gangwon Province, and since 2021, bluefin tuna eggs and fry have been found near Dokdo and Ulleungdo.

[Kim Maeng-jin / Researcher, East Sea Fisheries Research Institute, National Institute of Fisheries Science: The appearance of bluefin tuna eggs, larvae, and fry is important ecological evidence that the East Sea is being used as a spawning and nursery ground for bluefin tuna.]

Long-term measures are needed so that the bluefin tuna being caught can be utilized as a resource.

(Video coverage: Kim Dae-cheol | Footage courtesy of Han Hyung-gu and Kim Hyuk-soo)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.