<Anchor> The
price of livestock and fishery products is greatly affected by production in the production area, and the catch of squid from the east coast has significantly decreased. An increasing number of fishermen are giving up on fishing because it is difficult to obtain fuel for fishing boats.
This is TBC reporter Park Young-hoon.
<Reporter> This is
Ulleungdo Jeodong Port Fish Market.
Squid caught overnight in Ulleungdo's sea are distributed nationwide from here.
This year's squid fishing has come to an end, but the catch is at an all-time low.
So far, 606 tons of squid caught on Ulleungdo are worth 4.6 billion won.
Compared to last year, both catches and fishermen's incomes were cut in half.
An increasing number of fishermen are giving up on fishing as the situation continues, where even fuel costs cannot be saved.
[Park Jae-hyo / Ulleung-gun Fisheries Policy Team Leader: In the case of very small fishing boats (captains), there are some who actually stopped the operation because there are parts where the oil price does not come out. In the case of small and medium-sized fishing boats, they say that it is difficult to go out as much as possible.] The
catch of squid on Ulleungdo has been on a marked decline since several years ago.
Climate change and reckless fishing by Chinese fishing boats are cited as the main causes.
[Kim Gyeong-cheol / Ulleung Fisheries Cooperative Sales and Distribution Manager: In the case of Chinese ships, squid was overfished until last year, and then climate change. People see these two (causes).]
As the squid disappears from the sea of Ulleungdo, the reputation as a regional specialty is also being shaken.
Fundamental and systematic alternatives such as the development of alternative fisheries resources that can guarantee the livelihood of fishermen or crackdown on illegal fishing practices are needed.
(Video coverage: Shinyeongdong TBC)