50,000 Juvenile Octopuses Released into Jeonnam Waters

Targeting the Waters of Suncheon, Hampyeong, Sinan, and Muan
Protecting Marine Resources and Boosting Fishermen's Income Expected

Jeollanamdo Marine Fisheries Science Institute released about 50,000 juvenile octopuses they produced themselves into the waters of Suncheon, Hampyeong, Sinan, and Muan. Provided by Jeonnam Province

The Jeollanamdo Marine Fisheries Science Institute is making every effort to protect marine resources and increase fishermen's income, including releasing about 50,000 juvenile octopuses produced in-house into the waters of Suncheon, Hampyeong, Sinan, and Muan.

The juvenile octopuses released were hatched at the Resource Creation Research Center of the Western Branch of the Jeollanamdo Marine Fisheries Science Institute. Since April, mature parent octopuses have been secured, and the juveniles have been raised for over six months with a stable food supply and temperature control. Each octopus measures approximately 3 to 5 cm in length.

Jeonnam is a major production region for octopus. In 2024, octopus production reached 3,409 tons, accounting for about 58% of the national total of 5,899 tons. However, the continued decline in octopus resources has increasingly challenged local fishermen.

To address this, since 2014, the Jeollanamdo Marine Fisheries Science Institute has released a total of 178,000 juvenile octopuses into the waters of Jeonnam, continuing its diverse efforts to restore resources.

Director Kim Chungnam stated, "Octopus is a high value-added species that represents Jeonnam and is very popular among fishermen. The release of juvenile octopuses will greatly help restore resources and increase income. We plan to continue expanding the release of species that reflect fishermen's needs in order to maintain the health of the fishing ecosystem and restore resources."

Going forward, the Jeollanamdo Marine Fisheries Science Institute plans to expand the release of high-income marine species into the waters of Jeonnam.