Yangyang County Sees 31.4% Increase in Sea Cucumber Production Year-on-Year After Establishing Specialized Aquaculture Complex

Increase in Spiky Sea Cucumber Production
Full-Scale Value Addition of Marine Resources Begins

Yangyang County in Gangwon Province announced on January 8 that its "Sea Cucumber Specialized Aquaculture Complex Project," being promoted as part of its marine resource specialization strategy, is yielding tangible results.

Installation of Multipurpose Sea Cucumber Module. Provided by Yangyang County

Spiky sea cucumbers produced along the East Coast are recognized for their excellent quality and are attracting attention as high value-added seafood, traded at high prices both domestically and in overseas markets. In response, the county is focusing on establishing a stable mass production system by building sea cucumber aquaculture infrastructure and is actively working to strengthen the competitiveness of the local sea cucumber industry.

Since 2022, the county has been gradually expanding the foundation for spiky sea cucumber aquaculture, centering on the coastal areas of Dongsan-ri and Inguri in Hyeonnam-myeon, which are considered optimal habitats for the species. This initiative aims to ensure the stability and sustainability of sea cucumber production and increase the income of local fishers.

In particular, in October last year, the county installed an additional 37 multipurpose sea cucumber modules and released 446,166 sea cucumber juveniles, each weighing between 1.0 and 7.0 grams, into the designated waters. To date, a total of 270 sea cucumber modules have been installed along the Dongsan and Ingu coasts of Hyeonnam-myeon, with a cumulative total of 1,482,956 juveniles released.

As a result of this ongoing expansion of aquaculture infrastructure, sea cucumber production in 2025 saw a significant increase compared to the previous year. The production value also rose substantially, contributing to higher incomes for local fishers.

A county official stated, "We will continue to establish an eco-friendly marine aquaculture base utilizing abundant coastal resources to further enhance the competitiveness of the local fisheries industry," and added, "Going forward, we will actively identify and promote projects to increase the value-added of various marine resources, including sea cucumbers."

Meanwhile, Yangyang County plans to further strengthen the stable growth foundation of the local sea cucumber industry in 2026 by expanding the scale of sea cucumber aquaculture.