30,000 Young Eels Released into Dongjincheon Stream in Jeongeup

Part of Efforts to Restore Inland Freshwater Ecosystems

On May 11, 2026, Jeongeup City in Jeonbuk released 30,000 young eels into Dongjincheon, a major local stream. By releasing the young eels into the Dongjincheon area, the city has taken a significant step toward restoring the inland freshwater ecosystems, including rivers and lakes.

On the 11th, Jeongeup City in Jeollabuk-do released 30,000 young eels into the Dongjin Stream, a major local river. Photo by Jeongeup City

The eels released this time were each at least 10 centimeters in length and had all undergone aquatic animal disease inspections prior to release. The city carefully selected locations rich in food sources and with favorable habitat conditions to ensure the eels could adapt well to the natural environment.

Eels are considered one of the most economically valuable freshwater fish species in Korea, but their population has been rapidly declining in recent years. This decline is attributed to climate change and water pollution, which have reduced the number of wild eels, as well as the introduction of invasive species such as bass and bluegill and indiscriminate catch, all of which have collectively narrowed the habitat for native fish species.

An official from the Jeongeup Agricultural Technology Center said, "We hope the 30,000 eels released this time will grow healthily and become an important foundation for inland fishery resources. We will continue to release species suitable for the local river environment in order to create abundant and thriving streams."

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