Mass die-offs of farmed fish along the southern coast of Gyeongsangnam Province have continued into September, driven by unusually warm seawater. Along with rockfish, a staple of South Korea's raw fish dishes, sea squirts have also been dying in growing numbers.
Another 499,000 farmed fish, 320,000 abalone and 72 sea squirt ropes — the vertical lines suspended underwater on which sea squirts grow — died in a single day, the provincial government said on the 2nd, citing figures from the previous day.
Since late July, cumulative losses along the province's southern coast have reached 5.587 million fish, 440,000 abalone and 1,369 sea squirt ropes. Property damage totals 13.198 billion won ($9.5 million).
The deaths have occurred at 244 offshore cage and land-based farms across four municipalities: Namhae County, Hadong County, Tongyeong and Geoje.
The National Institute of Fisheries Science issues a high-water-temperature advisory when seawater reaches 28 degrees Celsius and upgrades it to a warning when that level persists for three days or more. The entire southern coast of Gyeongsangnam Province is currently under a warning. According to the latest bulletin issued the previous day, water temperatures ranged from 27.5 to 29.5 degrees in Sacheon Bay and Gangjin Bay, and from 27.5 to 28.6 degrees in Jinhae Bay.
Prices Climb for Popular Raw Fish
Prices for farmed flatfish and rockfish are rising in the wake of the die-offs. Farmed flatfish sold for 22,800 won per kilogram, up 6.5% from a year earlier, according to a weekly seafood market report for the third week of August from the Noryangjin Fisheries Wholesale Market. Rockfish prices are also above year-earlier levels. Because farmed fish require a set growing period before they can be shipped, prices could shift further if the heat damage persists.
Ahead of the Chuseok holiday, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries said it will release 20,000 tons of stockpiled seafood into the market by the 27th to stabilize supply. The release includes 15,700 tons of pollock, 1,700 tons of squid, 1,500 tons of mackerel, 800 tons of hairtail, 200 tons of croaker and 100 tons of dried anchovies.
Government-released seafood can be bought for up to 40% less than market prices, the ministry said. "We are checking seafood prices every week," a ministry official said. "We are managing prices through the release of stockpiled seafood and discount events."
