Source: Korea’s Global TV Arirang
Tunas are thronging in a water tank at feeding time.
Those which have grown to the size of a small child are competing aggressively for food.
They’re northern bluefin tuna and are considered an excellent dish when served raw.
One thousand tuna fry were purchased from Japan in 2009, 700 of which have survived.
Two years later, they now weigh over 30kilograms and are ready to be sold at market.
They feed on 700 kilograms of mackerel and saurel on a daily basis, growing 1.5 kilograms per month.
To get a tuna to grow from 30 to 35 kilograms costs about 200-thousand won.
Currently, one kilogram of tuna trades at 50-thousand won and 30 kilograms at 1.5 million won.
The price of four tunas equals one Korean bred cow.
To be successful and firmly establish tuna farming, Jeju must have a steady supply of tuna fry.
At present, all tuna fry come from Chuja Island or Japanese fishermen.
[Interview : Han Seong-yul, CEO of seafood cooperative ] "If we can stably produce the fry, the tuna farming industry will become a great revenue source for Jeju. It will also be a high-value added business for producers."
Tuna farming on land is rare, and it has challenged the idea that it is only possible in the open sea.
Meanwhile, the National Fisheries Research and Development Institute plans to be self sufficient in its tuna fry needs in the future.
It seems that it won't be much longer before more people get to enjoy fresh Jeju tuna.