Fish Farm Success

[Anchor Lead]

Offshore fish farms were considered impossible in the East Sea because of the rough waves. But now fish farms far out in the East Sea have succeeded in growing salmon trout and coho salmon for the market.

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A large school of fish fills an underwater farm set up two years ago at a depth of 20 to 30 meters in the East Sea. 200,000 coho salmon and salmon trout have been raised in the fish farm since last December. Now the salmon trout have grown big enough to be sold in the market.

[Soundbite] Kim Seong-wuk(Director, Donghae STF) : "Since the trout were put into the fish farm last December, they grew to weigh more than 2kg in just 7 months."

Once the coho salmon are shipped out in September, about 500 tons of fish will have been raised in the underwater confines this year. Starting next year an annual output of up to 2,000 tons will be possible. As an appropriate water temperature can be maintained throughout the year in the East Sea, salmon and other cold water fish can be supplied year-round.

[Soundbite] Lee Jong-sang(CEO, Seafood Retailer) : "We thought it would be impossible to sell fresh salmon. It's like a dream to have fresh fish caught that day on our dinner table."

The government plans to increase the number of deep-water fish farms from the current ten so that around 30,000 tons of imported salmon per year can be replaced with fish grown locally in the East Sea. Industry insiders are confident that once production goes into full swing, salmon prices will be 20 to 30% lower than for imports.