'Shrimp Protecting Dokdo' ... Gyeongbuk Province Mass Releases Juvenile Daehwa Shrimp in Ulleung and Dokdo Waters

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Park Dong-wook] The Gyeongsangbuk-do Fisheries Resources Research Institute (Director Park Seong-hwan) announced on the 24th that it released 300,000 juvenile Dohwa shrimp (large shrimp), well known as 'Dokdo shrimp,' into the waters around Ulleung and Dokdo on the 23rd.

The juvenile Dohwa shrimp released this time were directly hatched and raised by the institute from mature female shrimp carrying eggs, caught near Dokdo since November last year. These healthy seeds measure 1.5 to 2 cm in body length.

Generally, 'Dokdo shrimp' is a collective name for three species caught near Dokdo waters: the soft-spined red shrimp (commonly called flower shrimp or red shrimp), the spiny-backed shrimp (commonly called chicken shrimp), and the Dohwa shrimp (commonly called large shrimp). Among these, the Dohwa shrimp is the largest species, characterized by white spots on the head resembling peach blossoms. Large individuals over 20 cm in length have established themselves as a premium seafood unique to Ulleung and Dokdo, commanding prices over 200,000 KRW per kilogram (15,000 KRW per shrimp).

Appearance of a dock shrimp.

Dohwa shrimp gained fame when served at the Blue House welcome banquet during U.S. President Trump's visit to Korea in 2017, and recently have been frequently featured in mukbang and cooking videos by professional YouTubers, gaining popularity. People post verification shots on social media comparing their size to soju bottles, capturing attention visually. The shrimp's firm flesh and excellent sweetness make it enjoyable raw as sashimi or steamed and grilled. The heads are fried and eaten, leaving nothing wasted, making it a premium specialty ingredient from the East Coast that satisfies the public's five senses.

Since 2013, the institute has annually produced and released 50,000 to 100,000 juvenile soft-spined red shrimp to increase shrimp resources on the East Coast until 2018. From 2018, after successfully producing juvenile Dohwa shrimp seeds domestically for the first time, it has been mass-producing and releasing juvenile Dohwa shrimp annually into the Ulleung and Dokdo waters.

In addition to the 300,000 juvenile Dohwa shrimp, Gyeongbuk Province also released 10,000 juvenile Dokdo king abalones measuring 4 to 5 cm, produced from Dokdo king abalones whose genetic sequencing was completed. The juvenile shrimp were released using an underwater release system with hoses directly into rocky reef areas at a depth of 20 meters where shrimp inhabit, maximizing their natural survival rate. The king abalones were released directly into suitable locations with the help of scuba divers and haenyeo (female divers).

Kim Nam-il, head of the Gyeongbuk Province East Sea Regional Headquarters, stated, "Through the release of Dokdo shrimp, we will actively promote seed production research and resource creation projects necessary to strengthen effective control over our territory in response to ongoing Japanese provocations and to enhance Gyeongbuk's food self-sufficiency."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.