Sancheong-gun Releases 220,000 Juvenile Fish... Preserving Native Fish 'Gyeonghogang Specialty Euneo'

Sancheong-gun is releasing juvenile sweetfish into the Gyeonghogang River.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Choi Soon-kyung] Sancheong-gun, Gyeongnam, will continue to promote various native fish conservation projects this year, starting with the release of sweetfish fry.

Sancheong-gun announced on the 30th that it released 220,000 sweetfish fry into the Gyeonghogang and Deokcheongang rivers.

This release project was carried out to contribute to the increase of inland water fishery resources, the income growth of farmers and fishermen, and the influx of sweetfish fishing tourists.

The sweetfish fry were produced by the Freshwater Fish Research Center of the Gyeongnam Provincial Fisheries Resources Research Institute.

Last October, the county also released 42 million sweetfish fertilized eggs into the Gyeonghogang River.

Sweetfish is a native species that grows up to 30 cm. It is sometimes called ‘Eungueo’ because it has small scales, a dark back, a gray belly, and white jawbones on its snout.

It is a representative freshwater fish of Sancheong-gun and the Gyeonghogang River, characterized by its mild taste and lack of fishy smell. It mainly inhabits fast-flowing rivers with rocky bottoms rich in algae, like the Gyeonghogang River.

Since it feeds on algae, it emits a distinctive watermelon scent when alive. During the Joseon Dynasty, it was regarded as a top-grade fish presented to the king.

A county official said, “This year, we will continue native fish release projects including mandarin fish, soft-shelled turtles, and freshwater snails. We expect it will help restore native fish and our river ecosystems as well as revitalize the local economy.”

The county is making various efforts to preserve and restore river ecosystems, including continuous fry release projects, fishway renovation projects, artificial spawning ground creation projects, and river pollution source management projects.

Thanks to Sancheong-gun’s efforts, the Gyeonghogang River is recognized as the largest sweetfish habitat in the country and a ‘mecca of freshwater fishing.’

Although the sweetfish and mandarin fish fishing tournaments, held every summer, were not held last year due to COVID-19, they are held annually.