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Off the hook: South Korean fishers forced to dump US$1.9 million of bluefin tuna

PressNewsAgency
By PressNewsAgency

A bountiful haul of bluefin tuna by South Korean fishers earlier this week came with a catch: they had to throw away more than 1,300 tuna valued at about US$1.9 million into the waters after exceeding an annual regional fishing quota.

The mass dumping has sparked calls from the local industry for more flexibility in balancing between fulfilling obligations on fishing limits and maritime conservation.

The tuna was accidentally caught by fixed nets meant to trap smaller species like mackerel and squid off the coast of Yeongdeok county. The big fish were believed to have been chasing mackerel and sardines when they became entangled in the net, the Korea JoongAng Daily newspaper reported.

As each fish was between 1 metre and 1.5 metres (3.3 and 5 feet) long and weighed between 100kg and 150kg (220lbs and 330lbs), the catch should have been a windfall for the fishers.

Similar bluefin tuna had sold for 14,000 won (US$10) per kilogram at an auction in South Korea on Sunday. At an average of 140kg, the 1,300 tuna could have fetched about 2.55 billion won (US$1.9 million), The Korea Herald newspaper reported.

The fishers had to throw all their catch on Tuesday as their county had already met its yearly bluefin tuna limit.

Some 1,300 giant bluefin tuna were caught off the coast of Yeongdeok County, North Gyeongsang, South Korea on Tuesday morning. Photo: Yeongdeok county

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