'This Fish' Once Ignored as "Tasteless"... Now Soaring Prices Make It Unaffordable

Catch volume at 18% compared to last year
Population decline due to indiscriminate fishing

The fish Dorumuk, which even has the expression "maljjang dorumuk" (meaning "completely useless"), is seeing a sharp price increase due to a decline in catch volume.

According to the weekly catch trends in Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province on the 20th, the auction price of Dorumuk, which was up to 33,900 KRW per 2kg basket last week, rose by 26% to 42,600 KRW this week. Just five years ago, it was traded at less than 10,000 KRW in November, so the price has increased several times over.

Doromuk has a habit of forming large schools and spawning all at once in coastal areas rich in seaweed from November to January after three years of birth. As a result, every winter, anglers from all over the country visit the East Coast to catch doromuk, but as the number of anglers increases, the doromuk population is gradually declining.
[Photo by Asia Economy DB]

The price increase of Dorumuk is due to the decrease in catch volume. This year, the catch volume of Dorumuk is only 172 tons, which is 40% of last year's 433 tons for the same period. It is only 20% of the average 872 tons over the past three years.

As Dorumuk, a representative winter fish species of the East Coast of Gangwon, is no longer being caught, the income from catching Dorumuk this year is 1.101 billion KRW, which is 81% and 54% of 1.352 billion KRW last year and the past three-year average of 2.026 billion KRW, respectively.

One of the causes of the decline in Dorumuk is indiscriminate fishing. It is analyzed that capturing Dorumuk that come into coastal waters for spawning using traps, dip nets, and cast nets has led to a decrease in fishery resources.

Dorumuk has a habit of forming large schools and spawning all at once in coastal areas rich in seaweed from November to January of the following year after reaching three years of age. Every winter, anglers from all over the country visit the East Coast to catch Dorumuk, but as the number of anglers increases, the Dorumuk population is drying up.

The Coast Guard and Gangwon Province have been cracking down every year on indiscriminate overfishing using traps and the capture of undersized fish (less than 11 cm), but have not achieved significant results.

Dorumuk: No fishy smell, mild and refreshing taste

As the winter representative fish species dorumuk along the East Coast of Gangwon is not being caught, the income from catching dorumuk this year has also remained at 1.101 billion won, which is 81% and 54% of 1.352 billion won from the same period last year and the past three-year average of 2.026 billion won, respectively.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

Dorumuk, which starts to be caught from late autumn when the cold wind blows, is a representative winter fish species of the East Coast. Female Dorumuk carrying eggs are popular in spicy stews, while male Dorumuk are favored for braising or grilling.

About 25,000 tons of Dorumuk were caught in 1970, but the resource volume sharply declined to 1,000 to 2,000 tons in the 1990s. In response, Gangwon Province has been working hard to revive Dorumuk by expanding protected waters and closed seasons since 2006.

Thanks to these efforts, the resource volume increased to 5,000 to 6,000 tons but has recently faced a crisis again due to a decrease in catch volume.

A Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province official said, "Dorumuk fishing is expected to increase as operations begin mainly in the Goseong, Sokcho, and Donghae areas," adding, "We are also considering the need to strengthen regulations such as restrictions on fishing during the spawning season."

The origin of the name Dorumuk is also famous. It is said that a king fleeing in the past ate "muk-eo (Dorumuk)" and felt sorry that such a delicious fish had such a poor name, so he ordered it to be called "Eun-eo" (silver fish). After returning to the palace, the king recalled the taste of this fish and tried it again, but it was not as delicious as before, so he ordered it to be called "muk-eo" again, which became "Dorumuk."