Yanggu County Releases About 880,000 Freshwater Snails into Bangsan-myeon Rivers, Anticipates Restoration of Inland Water Resources

On November 17, Yanggu County in Gangwon Province released approximately 880,000 freshwater snail seeds into rivers in the Bangsan-myeon area, aiming to restore the health of river ecosystems and expand inland water resources. This release was carried out to enhance the natural purification function of the rivers by directly introducing juvenile freshwater snails, which are effective in improving water quality, and to preserve declining native aquatic resources.

Freshwater snail release event. Provided by Yanggu County

Freshwater snails inhabit riverbeds with clear water and gentle currents, where gravel or rocks are abundant. They feed by scraping off algae, fine organic matter, and bacteria, thereby purifying debris on the riverbed. Since they cannot survive in polluted water, they are also used as indicators of water quality. Therefore, this large-scale release is expected to have a positive effect on ecosystem restoration and water quality improvement.

Since 2011, Yanggu County has continuously implemented an inland water release project to protect disappearing native aquatic species and restore the natural ecological environment. Over the past five years, a total of 6.6 million juvenile fish and shellfish have been released, with ongoing efforts to restore inland water resources and increase fishermen's income. This year, to better protect inland fish species that are declining due to changes in their habitats, the county increased its budget by 30 million won from last year, allocating a total of 330 million won to further expand the scale of releases.

Starting with the release of approximately 50,000 largemouth bass in May, the county released about 40,000 eels into Paroho and Soyangho Lakes in early July. Since then, it has continued to release local native species such as Korean perch, catfish, and bullhead, focusing on ecosystem protection. These efforts will continue next year, with various initiatives planned to expand native fish resources and create a healthy river environment.

The head of the Distribution and Livestock Division stated, "Native aquatic resources like freshwater snails are extremely important, as they are directly linked to the ecological health of rivers," adding, "We will continue to systematically release native fish species suited to the region and make ongoing efforts to restore the natural ecosystem and increase fishermen's income."

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