Fisheries Catch Rises 2.7%
By Lee Hyo-sik
Staff Reporter
The nation's fishermen caught 3.37 million tons of fish last year, up 2.7 percent from a year earlier, the National Statistical Office (NSO) said Tuesday. It was worth 6.4 trillion won, up 10.8 percent from 2007, as more people chose to consume domestically caught fish because of health concerns surrounding imported ones from China and other countries, pushing up retail fish prices here.
Fishermen caught more anchovies, mackerel, crab and squid, while the haul of oysters and other fish species declined. Those operating in the coastal areas captured 1.29 million tons of fish, with the deep-sea fishery bringing 665,000 tons of fish to the shore.
The statistical office said the production value of fish rose at a faster pace last year than the production volume, as the weakened local currency against the dollar raised the value of the overseas sales of deep-water fish in the won term.
It also said the fishing industry generated greater income in 2008, with local consumers preferring to consume caught fish caught by local fishermen as they are concerned about sanitary conditions of imported fish.