Chungnam to Conduct Special Crackdown on Illegal Glass Eel Fishing Until the End of April

A fishing vessel illegally harvesting freshwater eels was recently caught by enforcement authorities. Provided by Chungnam Province

[Asia Economy (Hongseong) Reporter Jeong Il-woong] Chungnam Province announced on the 17th that from mid-this month until April 30, it will simultaneously conduct preliminary guidance and special crackdowns on illegal glass eel fishing to prevent illegal fishing of glass eels.

Eels spawn in deep waters about 300 meters deep in the Pacific Ocean, approximately 3,000 km away from Korea, and after growing for about six months, they migrate to Korean rivers in the form of glass eels, exhibiting a very unique ecological characteristic. Due to this ecological trait, artificial seed production is considered very difficult for this species.

Therefore, to catch glass eels for aquaculture farms, fishing activities are only allowed within designated areas after obtaining fishing permits in accordance with the Fisheries Act and the Inland Fisheries Act.

However, recently, due to overfishing and changes in the marine environment, the catch volume of glass eels has become highly variable, and illegal fishing activities without permits have been rampant at key migration points such as the Geum River estuary, Seosan A and B districts, and the Asan Bay area, raising concerns about depletion of glass eel resources and damage to licensed fishermen.

Considering these circumstances, the province will conduct special crackdowns in all estuarine areas within the province, including the Geum River estuary and Asan Bay, where complaints about illegal glass eel fishing frequently occur, in cooperation with city and county governments, the West Sea Fisheries Management Team, and the Coast Guard.

The main targets of the crackdown are illegal fishing without permits, violations of fishing zones, and illegal capture by non-fishermen (such as hand netting), and the distribution of illegally caught glass eels will also be a key focus of inspection and enforcement.

A provincial official stated, “To prevent the increasing illegal fishing activities every year, we will conduct on-site crackdowns along with enforcement against the distribution of illegally caught fish,” adding, “We will do our best to protect glass eel resources and establish fishing order.”

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