Mackerel is one of the most popular fishes in Korea. And yet their spawning grounds and migration patterns have not been clearly studied -- until now.
If the research goes well, it is hoped that there will be new opportunities to improve the systematic management of this fish.
Joseph Kim has more.
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Seongsan-eup, Seogwipo City

Around the nearby seas of Seongsan-eup, Seogwipo City, mackerel is coming out from a large water tank one by one, and then, a yellow tag is attached to it.  

Until now, a school of mackerel has been spotted around Daemado, moving northward from Jeju, while others have stayed around the sea of Udo without moving north.

Experts assume that the fish travel to other seas after staying around the waters off Jeju in summer in search of food, but their exact spawning grounds and migration route are not yet known.

[camera]
Moon Ho-sung

Especially with the conditions of the nearby waters off Jeju having been frequently changing, the mackerel is expected to traverse not though its normal migration route but another route.

That is why tracking research is needed to figure out its actual path.

[INTERVIEW]
Interview: Lee Seung-jong / Researcher, NFRDI
With this research, we will focus on figuring out the exact migration route of the mackerel. We plan on studying and continuously monitoring the route of mackerel as it is distributed in Korean waters.
<인터뷰 : 이승종/국립수산과학원 아열대수산연구센터 연구사>
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[Reporter]
Joseph Kim

The tracking research on mackerel’s migration is still in its infancy. However, this research carried out now will be expected to play a role in setting up a systematic mackerel management policy.

Joseph Kim KCTV