The flatfish is a main staple on Jeju Island.
However, the island is seeing a significant drop in prices as the demand for the fish has decreased.
The province has made a decision to control the supply of the fish by removing it temporarily from the market.
Mike Laidman reports.

[slug] Province temporarily bans flatfish shipping to market

As a part of measures to support local flatfish farmers experiencing difficult time for price plunge of the fish, the province has decided not to put the fish temporarily on the market.

[slug] Supply control for price recovery

The measure is to prevent further plunge of the fish price, as demand for the fish has plunged..

[slug] 200 tons of flatfish to be bought by province at 359 flatfish farms

The province is going to purchase 200 tons of the fish of about 500 grams from 359 fish farms by the end of this year.

[slug] Purchase of 300 tons early 2019 proves not to enough

The National Federation of Fisheries Cooperatives bought 300 tons of the fish early this year. But the purchase proves not to be enough for supply control.

[slug] 420 mln won to be spent for additional purchase

420 million won of fund for fishery demand and supply balance will be spent for the province’s purchase.



An official says that the purchase is made by the provincial office for the first time, and expects the measure to help control supply control.

Province:
Flatfish to be purchased by province for the first time
Expected to contribute to supply control


The province and the National Federation of Fisheries Cooperatives are also considering processing the to-be-bought fish into feeds for animals.

Recording
Representative, National Federation of Fisheries Cooperatives
We’re reviewing processing the fish for human consumption or into fish powder for animal feed.
<싱크 : 수협 관계자>
"원형이 변형된 가공품을 하든지, 아니면 다른 어분(사료)이라든지 이런 쪽으로 (검토하고 있습니다)."

As the fish is losing competitiveness, the local flatfish farming industry is experiencing difficult time.

[Reporter] Mike Laidman
[Camera] Hyeon Gwang-hoon
[CG] So Gi-hun

Industry insiders hope the province’s measure to help bring flatfish farmers out of stagnation.

Mike Laidman, KCTV