Sea's warming named as likely cause of squid migration
For South Korea's eastern province of Gangwon, squid fishing has proved a very healthy industry so far this year. But just down the coast in the Gyeongsang provinces, those relying on a large catch of squid early this year have so far come up empty-handed. According to a report by the National Fisheries and Development Research Institute, between January 1 and 13 of this year, 472 tons of squid were caught in Gangwon Province and 424 tons in the Ulleung Islands of the province's coast. Those volumes were 475 percent and 299 percent higher, respectively, than the yield during the same period a year ago. Compared with the average figures for the past five years, the catches were 187 percent and 132 percent higher, respectively, the institute said. In contrast, 827 tons of squid, or 39.9 percent of last year's total, were caught in the southeastern coastal areas of north and south Gyeongsang provinces during the first 13 days of this year. Sales figures are equally bleak: Gyeongsang has sold a quarter of what it did during the same period a year earlier. The unusually high temperature of the East Sea is cited as one reason for such a shift. Squid are believed to have delayed their normal journey south during the winter because the surface temperature of the East Sea currently is about four to five degrees higher than the average range.Yoon Sang-cheol, the institute's research, said, "Such a phenomenon is attributable to global warming and El Nino, among other factors. Since early next month, squid are expected to move toward the south as the sea's surface temperature goes back to normal." Please direct questions or comments to [englishhani@hani.co.kr]
